COMMUNITY
Habitat for Humanity
begins local chapter
By June Russell
Emerald Reporter
Springfield resident Bill
Pursceney and his two chil
dren, are expected to break
ground on their new three-bed
room home within the month
The homebuilding project is
being sponsored by Habitat for
Humanity, a 15- year-old inter
national organization devoted
to eliminating poverty housing
This is the first loc al housing
construction project under the
direc lion of Habitat for Human
ity The agency presented its
plans at an open house Friday
1’ursceney and his children,
11-year-old Angela and I t
year-old Nicolas, currently rent
a house in Cedar Flats
I’ursceney, a lumber-puller at
VVeyerhauser Company, said
the family is excited about their
new home.
"It kind of stunned me." he
said. "My kids like th.it they
each get their own bedroom
"I've been trying for the last
couple of years to get another
house, but a three-bedroom
rents for $50(1 to $700 a month,
if not more. " he said
1‘ursceney will be responsi
ble for the mortgage payments,
taxes and insurance totaling ap
proximately $500 a month, said
George 1‘asek. president of the
board of directors for the organ
i/.ation Habitat works with no
profit and no interest. Pasek
said. The mortgage payments
are used to help fund the next
home.
Habitat lor Humanity, I’asek
said, is not aimed at providing
housing for the homeless, but
for low-income families Fol
lowing the guidelines estab
lished by the organization, fain
ilies must show need, financ ial
stability and the willingness to
enter into a partnership to help
Habitat aid other families in
need
" I nitre are three criteria in
selecting a family,” said I’asek
"The first is a demonstrated
need We've inspected their
house, and it’s a shack. Sec
ondly. they had to demonstrate
financial stahilitv and the abili
ty to pay the taxes and mort
gage and insurance.
"Third, they are willing to
enter into a partnership,"
I’asek said "Not only do we
expei t that Hill will spend r>(H)
hours on building his own
home, but that he will work on
other homes or committees.
Another thing we expect is that
he forms a homeowners associ
ation with the future families,
to help with mutual support.
"We had b5 applicants,"
I’asek said. "Of those, a certain
percent don't meet the criteria.
Of those that do meet the crite
ria. we automatically keep their
application and enter it into the
next selection."
The local chapter of Habitat
has options on three other lots
in the Eugene-Springfield area,
I’asek said.
Groundbreaking at the lot at
THE
ULTIMATE
^ INDOOR
TANNING
MACHINE
5097 (’■ St is exjMM ted to st.irt
within tiio month Some $5,500
in donations from individuals,
chun lies and other nrguni/.a
turns enabled the organization
to puri liase tile lot Fundraisers
are being planned to raise the
remainder of the estimated
$25,000 in i ash or donations of
materials needed to build the
home
Building the home is going
to require all the help thev i an
gel. said llabit.it board member
Gerry keener, and anyone vs ho
wants to help is encouraged to
volunteer The real savings
keener said, is in the use of all
volunteer labor
For more information on be
coining involved, phone
741-1707.
I'HoUi lit Anrirr K«m«n
Hill Pursceney (second from left) and his children Nicolas and lnut-la will he the first local fam
ily to ret:eive a new home from llahitat for Humanity
Beat (i
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•RigiUirwl u-kW ouiI I I1> • l^l I I D