Another Habitat home goes up with longtime business helper
Highland Lakes Habitat for Humanity volunteers work on a house on Greencastle Drive in Granite Shoals with the help of a crane operated by Mike Jones. Staff photo by Maci Cottingham
Highland Lakes Habitat for Humanity volunteers raised the trusses on a new home at 132 W. Greencastle Drive in Granite Shoals on Wednesday, Sept. 3. It will be the nonprofit’s sixth house in Granite Shoals and the ninth one built in the Highland Lakes area over the past three years.
Habitat homes go to qualifying families in need.
Lampasas Trucking and Redi-Mix provided the trusses, with CEO Mike Jones operating the crane. Jones has partnered with the local Habitat chapter since he and wife Cheryl launched the business in 1992.
“We’ve been working with them for many years,” Jones said. “They’re a great organization.”
Habitat projects rely heavily on volunteers, which can affect how quickly houses are completed. The Greencastle Drive home is expected to be finished by Christmas, but factors such as weather, volunteer turnout, and supply chain issues could impact the timeline.
Construction crews work on Highland Lakes Habitat for Humanity homes every Wednesday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers must be at least 17 years old. Lunch and water are provided.
Habitat also constructed five houses along Sherwood Downs in Granite Shoals. In total, the local chapter has built 30 homes and counting since it began in 1995.
ABOUT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit that partners with families in need of safe and affordable housing. To qualify for a home, applicants must demonstrate that need, such as living in unsafe or overcrowded conditions or paying more than 30 percent of their gross income toward housing. Total household income cannot exceed 60 percent of the area’s median income.
Applicants must also show a stable monthly income, meet debt-ratio requirements, and have lived in a chapter’s service area for at least one year. Families who are selected agree to partner with Habitat through “sweat equity,” contributing work on their own homes, and commit to paying an affordable mortgage.