Deadline met: five homes completed

Two Habitat for Humanity volunteers inspect a line outside a Habitat home. Hope Acres, the subdivision made up of Cherokee County Habitat for Humanity homes, will welcome five new families in coming weeks following the completion of a two-year construction project.

After receiving a $375,000 infrastructure grant from the Appalachian Council of Governments in 2006, the organization was facing a June 30 deadline to complete five homes in the subdivision. With the help of homeowners and volunteers, local Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Christa Smith said the job is finally done and on schedule.

"We have definitely reached a milestone for Habitat in Cherokee County," Smith said. "A lot of work and sweat equity by homeowners and volunteers around the community have helped in building the five homes."

Smith and other officials with the local branch of the Christian-based nonprofit group originally had a Dec. 31 deadline on the project before being granted an extension. The reprieve gave the organization time to round up volunteers to help with the job.

"We would have never completed these homes without the help of volunteers, the generous grants and donations received, Johnny Breitenbach and his students at Cherokee Technology Center and our newest construction coordinator Larry Vincent," Smith said.

The extra time also gave Habitat officials an opportunity to interview potential tenants.

Habitat for Humanity selects homeowners through a rigorous application and screening process. Houses are sold to those in need, costing them an estimated 40 percent less than similar homes on the market.

Families acquiring Habitat houses pay back interestfree loans over the course of 20 to 30 years, while also being required to spend at least 100 "sweat equity" hours working with volunteers to build the houses.

Smith expects the five newest families to move in by the end of the month.

Construction is far from done at Hope Acres as four more homes are expected to be built in the subdivision by September of 2010. Work is slated to begin this fall.