Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth (HFHGP; www.hfhplymouth.org), a nonprofit organization with a mission of providing decent affordable housing for low income households in the region, is thrilled to announce that they have been awarded $2.3 million in federal funds to support affordable home development.
The funds are specifically designated for acquisition and pre-development of vacant or blighted properties in the organization’s service area of Plymouth, Carver, Kingston, Plympton, Middleboro and/or Lakeville, with the end goal of building ten units of affordable housing. Property acquisition has been HFHGP’s most persistent obstacle throughout its 27-year history and this funding stream provides the organization with an unprecedented pathway to fill its project pipeline and ultimately provide affordable homeownership opportunities to more families in need. This award represents the largest single investment received by the nonprofit and will be transformational in accelerating its impact.
“We are extraordinarily grateful for the support of our federal delegation in advocating for this essential funding to help us address the massive, and growing, void of affordable housing in our region” said Amy Belmore, Executive Director of HFHGP. “Habitat homeownership transforms lives and lifts the burden of destabilizing housing insecurity for so many families. We are incredibly excited to have a new pathway for property acquisition to get projects underway and provide low-income residents with secure, stable housing options.”
It is anticipated that the majority of units will be single-family homes which will be completed on a rolling basis over the next five to eight years. Habitat of Greater Plymouth will still need to raise all funds for construction costs, which are lowered by the organization’s unique model of using volunteers from the community for the vast majority of labor. Due to its 501(c)(3) registered status, discounts and donations of materials and services also help to reduce costs, allowing the nonprofit to serve qualified families earning 30-60% of the area median income. Other developers typically target their affordable housing units to 80% AMI households, thus Habitat is able to reach an underserved population.
In recognition of the severe affordable housing crisis facing the Commonwealth and its workforce, Senator Warren, Senator Markey and Congressman Keating each advocated for the funding in the federal budget process. The package was signed by President Biden in early March.
“I am delighted to have helped Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth secure $2.3 million in federal funding to support affordable housing in Massachusetts,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “We need an all-hands approach to tackle the housing crisis and increase the housing supply across the Commonwealth and HFHGP’s work is critical to ensuring families in need can access affordable housing.”
“When we invest in affordable housing, families flourish. With my partners, Senator Warren and Congressman Keating, I am proud to have secured $2.3 million to support development of ten new affordable homes for low-income residents in Plymouth County,” said Senator Ed Markey. “Families will thrive and communities will be stronger with the support from this funding, supporting stronger families and bringing long-term effects for generations to come.”
“This federal investment in Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth is going to make a difference in the lives of many families on the South Shore, and I was glad to partner with my colleagues in the Senate to make this grant happen,” said Congressman Bill Keating. “The Community Project Funding program allows Members of Congress to target local projects for federal investment – Habitat’s decades of successfully increasing affordable housing stock in our region and their carefully laid out plan to bring additional housing units to those who need it most made them an excellent candidate for CPF funding, and I was proud to select this project for federal investment.”
Habitat always welcomes volunteers from all backgrounds to help with construction, site selection and planning, fundraising and more. To learn more, visit hfhplymouth.org.
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth is a registered non-profit organization with a mission of providing decent affordable housing in the region. Their office, along with its ReStore, is located at 160 N. Main Street in Carver and the service area includes Plymouth, Kingston, Carver, Middleboro, Plympton and Lakeville. In addition to complete home builds, they also make repairs on existing homes that are essential for health and safety. An application process is required for those interested in becoming a Habitat homeowner and for home repairs. HFHGP is continuously seeking volunteers, financial support, and donations of furniture, appliances and more to the ReStore. More information, volunteer sign-up, and applications can be found at www.hfhplymouth.org, and readers are encouraged to follow HFHGP and HFHGP ReStore on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Questions can be directed to info@hfhplymouth.org or 508-866-4188.
