Habitat to build affordable Granby home

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By Don Shaw, Jr.

​On May 19, a Habitat for Humanity groundbreaking ceremony will kick off construction of a new, affordable, Energy Star 3.0-rated, three-bedroom raised ranch (similar to the one in the photo). Located at 259 West Granby Road, the home will be across the street from the post office and fire station. Open to the public, the groundbreaking ceremony begins at 4 p.m. A Habi-Hour Groundbreaking Celebration at Lost Acres Vineyard will follow it from 5 to 8 p.m., which will include live music and a raffle. All are welcome!
Through the generosity of Windsor Federal Savings, Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity obtained the West Granby property, enabling, for the first time, its reach to a rural capitol region town. It is also a serendipitous “homecoming.” The home will be built less than a mile from the former home of Hartford Habitat founders Bob and Marion Mayo, remembered and revered by residents as community leaders in Granby and Hartford.
Habitat is dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-to-moderate income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home ownership opportunities. It accomplishes this by working in partnership with diverse people from all walks of life, to build simple, decent affordable housing, which it believes should be a matter of conscience in all communities.
Hartford Habitat was founded in 1989 to serve the capitol region of Connecticut. It is one of more than 2,250 Habitat affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International worldwide, which, to date, collectively have built more than one million homes. In greater Hartford, Habitat has built 230 homes, housing more than 800 individuals. Each year more than 4,000 volunteers work with Hartford Habitat.
Hartford Habitat’s program offers home ownership opportunities to families whose income is 40-60 percent of the area median income, and are unable to obtain a conventional mortgage. Habitat requires each homeowner to complete at least 150 hours of “sweat equity” in building homes, attend over 50 hours of financial literacy workshops, and put 2 percent down on their home prior to purchase. Habitat homeowners pay a monthly zero-percent interest mortgage held by Habitat. The payments include the principal, local property taxes and insurance.
To learn more about Habitat for Humanity, and how you may become involved in its affordable housing mission, please join Hartford Habitat at the groundbreaking and the Lost Acres Vineyard Habi-Hour. Information also is available at the Hartford Habitat website: www.hartfordhabitat.org.
Shaw is a member, Board of Directors for the Hartford area Habitat for Humanity.

Picture

Habitat for Humanity home to be built in West Granby is similar to this one.