Sunday Night, by MaryHelen Swanson: One way to help the housing situation

Posted 3/7/01

Sunday Night, by MaryHelen Swanson: One way to help the housing situation

The East Central Habitat for Humanity is looking for a lot in the North Branch area on which to build a home for a local family who has already been selected.

Habitat homes are not charity cases - each family participates by physically helping build the home and makes a monthly payment which goes into an account to help build other Habitat homes. Itís probably the most sensible ìrecyclingî of funds around and it solves a housing dilemma for struggling families. It also offers fantastic opportunities for others to give something back to their communities.

I was there when the ECM Habitat built its first home in southern Isanti County. I watched as young people, retired people, men, women, boys and girls all worked together to build a modest home for a handicap individual and his family.

What pride there was in the completion of this project. On the day the key was passed to the owners, a high school musical group performed songs of love and caring, speeches were made and an open house offered everyone the opportunity to see just what the people had accomplished by working together.

It wasnít long before ECM Habitat was building two homes each year, (they now have eight completed with the most recent near Lindstrom) and this year they are anticipating building four.

For the most part, itís all done with volunteer work and donations. It allows a family to have ownership of a home with pride in knowing they helped make it possible. It keeps people from being homeless. And, as far away as ìhomelessî sounds, there are people in our communities who fall into that category.

It wasnít so long ago that a woman lived in her car in a nearby community. Can you imaging living in your car this winter? She was unable to work and scrounged through dumpsters for cans to recycle for the little money she had. Young people laughed at her, not understanding that most of us are but one major mistake away from being in her shoes. Thatís what youíll hear from the homeless. I know, I used to feed them on Chicago Ave. in Minneapolis.

When you stand next to a homeless person, especially in the cold of winter, and realize that everything they own is on their being, the reality of homelessness hits you hard.

Affordable housing, such as offered by Habitat for Humanity, is just one solution to a growing housing crisis. But oh, how that word ìaffordableî scares people. Many think it is synonymous with ìsubsidizedî and that word seems to send people into an absolute tizzy. Perhaps because people who cannot afford big, fancy houses often have little self-esteem which can lead to apathy which can lead to neglect of a home which can lead to deterioration of a neighborhood and eventually . . . crime. Itís a terrible, overpowering chain reaction.

If thatís what you think ìaffordableî means, perhaps itís time to take another look in the dictionary. Webster says to afford something means ìto be able to bear the cost,î and if youíre working for $8-$10/hr, you should be able to find a decent place to live that $8-$10/hour times 40 hours will cover. People will say, ìI work hard for my money.î Do you not think people work hard in $8-$10/hour jobs? It may be true that more people are working today, but ìlow incomeî is still a fact of life and housing is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is critical that there be ìaffordableî housing for people living with those lower incomes. Helping to provide homes through organizations such as the ECM Habitat for Humanity is one way we can do this.
Is there a lot for this summerís home? Are there strong, healthy people willing to help build this home? Call Charley Williamson at 763-689-0288 if your answer is yes. Itís one way to make sure there will be one less homeless family in our town.