While everyone agrees that there’s no place like home, Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas takes the adage a step further: there’s no place like an affordable home. Habitat CEO Mike Sutton is concerned about adequate affordable housing in St. Pete citing the average home in 2017 in St. Pete was about $525,000. He sees the city at a crossroads with the threat of losing working class families if no one takes any action to fight this affordable housing crisis. Fortunately, Habitat has the tools to work alongside our community to provide what Mr. Sutton calls “a hand up, not a hand out.”
Sweat Equity
The biggest misconception about Habitat is that they give away free homes. In fact, eligible families have an identified housing need—whether it be overcrowding, unsafe conditions, or a steep percentage of income going to their rent (more than 30 percent)—and they must also have an ability to pay the 30-year zero-interest mortgage on their new home. As well, they must be a willing partner in the process by completing 20 homebuyer education classes and 350-450 hours of “Sweat Equity”. Sweat Equity is the concept of contributing to your own success through hard labor, whether you volunteer with the construction of your home or another home being built. It goes all the way back to before Habitat for Humanity began in 1976. Clarence Jordan, the founder of Koinonia Farm (where Habitat for Humanity began), wrote in a 1968 letter: “What the poor need is not charity but capital, not case workers but co-workers.” This “co-worker approach” informs Habitat’s emphasis on sweat equity: everyone working together so that homeowners can achieve the strength, stability, and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and for their families.
The Dignity of Homeowning
Habitat plans to build their 500th home in Pinellas County this year, a fourth of which are all in St. Pete. In 1985 they built their first home alongside homeowner Jane Dunaway. In 2004, she paid her mortgage off and burned it, vowing to continue to volunteer with the organization. The confidence and security families experience in homeowning is evidenced by their successful life choices thereafter. Mr. Sutton said, “We see these families transform over time”, explaining that they go back to better their education, their relationships improve, or they get promoted at work and advance their careers. The beauty of the program is that because the families worked so hard as a partner in the process, they can truly take ownership in their success and walk away from the program with real dignity as a homeowner.
Currently 90 families in Pinellas are in some stage of Habitat’s programming. Each qualifying family is presented to the Board of Directors for final approval which can take up to four months. Families begin their classes and start their Sweat Equity hours working on current projects. Upon hitting 100 hours, Habitat will begin to locate a suitable lot for their home and then construction begins. The family proceeds with their Sweat Equity on their own home. The path to home ownership can typically take about 12-18 months from time of approval to finished home.
A Renewed Commitment
In March of 2018 Habitat opened the St. Pete Resource Center in the Midtown area. CEO Mike Sutton explained that Habitat is committed to the redevelopment of Midtown and South St. Pete, both areas in need of affordable, safe housing. This new office in the center of St. Pete stands as a promise to the community that the hope of affordable housing is alive and well. Mr. Sutton expressed gratitude for Mayor Kriseman and the City of St. Pete in focusing on this crisis but called out for more partners, stating that it must be “a community focus and effort.”
Habitat needs thousands of volunteers to build and renovate their projects, plus operate and shop at their “ReStores”—Clearwater and Palm Harbor store fronts selling discounted construction material. Additionally, Habitat operates a $15 million budget and funding is always necessary to serve more families. Finally, they need referrals of families who need Habitat’s services. Habitat has a concept that they call “The Theology of the Hammer” which means that no matter what your background or beliefs are, we can put that aside and build in partnership to make the community stronger.
Besides contributing to a better St.Pete, the true benefit is the feeling you get from giving back.
Come visit the Habitat Pinellas St. Petersburg Resource Center at 1350 22nd Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712. It is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10am – 2pm. Call 727-536-4755 for more information. Please visit HabitatPinellas.org.
