By James Day
A Silverton Habitat for Humanity project has received a $30,000 grant from the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF). The award was part of $8.7 million in grants to 371 nonprofits that the foundation announced last month.
North Willamette Valley Habitat For Humanity will use the funds to help hire a project manager for the planned 18-unit project on Pine Street near the Silverton High School campus.
The funds will help the group “increase our building capacity from one home per year to up to five homes per year,” said Danielle Anderson, marketing and communications manager for North Willamette Valley Habitat. “In order to make that leap, we need to hire a project manager. Funds received from the OCF grant will help with the first year of a project manager’s salary.”
The Peters’ Garden project ultimately will consist of 18 homes. Six single-family residences and 12 townhouses, will be constructed on a 1.9-acre parcel with access from Pine Street via Schemmel Lane.
The name honors Dr. Virgil Peters, one of the chapter’s original board members; his son, Dr. Tim Peters, who is currently a member of the chapter’s construction safety committee; and the late Jennie Peters, Virgil’s wife, whose favorite hymn was “In the Garden.”
The project is being built under the usual Habitat for Humanity protocols. The home will be constructed largely with volunteers, with the family that will occupy the house also responsible for volunteering. Once the family occupies the home its members will be responsible for the mortgage and upkeep.
Habitat officials noted in the grant application that the size of the project were driven by the city’s need for affordable housing.
One house in the project is virtually completed.
“If this was a single home build, the family would already be in the house,” Anderson said. “Because this is part of a larger development, there are still planning pieces that have to be in place before we can sell the home to the partner family. Our team is working with city officials and we’re doing everything we can to get the Constante family into the house as soon as possible.”
