Constructing
a house of dreams
With the help of volunteers, Habitat for Humanity builds
homes for families in inadequate living situations
BY AMANDA BOLSINGER I NEWS REPORTER
Many charities offer food and a
temporary place to sleep, but
Habitat for Humanity volunteers
do more than offer a bed for the night —
they build homes for local families. The
Springfield/Eugene Habitat for Humanity
has built 32 houses in 14 years, and num
bers 33 and 34 are almost complete.
The houses are single-family homes
that cost on average about $50,000 plus
the cost of land.
“The homes are small, usually about
1,000 square feet,” Executive Director
Florrie Turconi said. “But land is really
expensive. The last piece we bought was
$34,000 for a 4,500-square-foot piece of
land. Finding land right now is our most
difficult problem. We need flat, level
ground, and it’s just not there.”
Families receiving homes must meet
certain criteria to be accepted. They
must have lived in the area for at least
one year and must earn between 30 and
60 percent of the median income bracket
for people in the area. Additionally, the
home the family is currently living in
must be inadequate. Inadequate hous
ing is housing that is too small for the
family’s size or that has physical prob
lems that make the house structurally
dangerous or unhealthy to live in.
“There are families that rent one room
from relatives,” Tlirconi said. “Other
houses are moldy and dilapidated. One
room is not adequate for a whole family,
and people shouldn’t have to live in un
safe houses.”
Families interested in becoming
Tim Bobosky | Photographer
The Springfield/Eugene Habitat for Humanity has nearly completed this house for a new
resident. The group has built 32 homes in 14 years.
homeowners through Habitat must be
able to prove a steady income and have
fair credit. A common misconception is
that Habitat gives the homes away. In
fact, Habitat sells them to the families at
a zero percent interest rate on a 20- to
30-year mortgage plan. The families
must also take part in “sweat equity,”
which requires the family spend 500
hours helping to build other homes and
their own.
“These homes aren’t a give away,”
Tlirconi said. “They have to work for it
and pay for it. The family works with
volunteers to build their home and other
homes. It is a real investment from the
ground up.”
It usually takes about two years for
families to get through the program.
“We have to find land, get donations
and organize volunteers. It’s a lengthy
process,” office manager Terri Brown
said.
Habitat homes are funded through
private donations, fundraising, govern
ment grants and donor options through
United Way. Some groups donate mon
ey, time, materials or parts of the home.
“Sometimes a company will donate the
roof,” Thrconi said. “Others will donate
flooring or lighting.”
Recently, a young school group held
a fundraiser for Habitat and raised just
under $300. The group’s money pur
chased switch plates, plugs and a
kitchen light for a house. “The kids had
a field day and came out to the house,”
Turconi said. “We showed them just
what their money bought. They had so
much fun seeing the house and what
they did to help.”
Brown became interested in Habitat
after her church partnered with anoth
er church to build a house. After work
ing on the project, a job opened up at
Habitat. She has now been there for
eight years.
“I love working with all of the peo
ple,” Brown said. “Seeing the changes as
people develop skills and patience from
working toward a goal is great.”
Habitat homes are built by volunteers.
The organization is always in need of
more help for construction, as well as
service on various committees. Volun
teer orientation meetings are held on the
second Thursday of each month at 6:30
p.m. in the basement of the Baptist
church on the corner of 12th and G
streets in Springfield.
abolsinger@ dailyemerald, com
“There are families that rent one room from relatives. Other
houses are moldy and dilapidated One room is not adequate for a
whole family, and people shouldn ’t have to live in unsafe houses. ”
Florrie Turconi | Habitat for Humanity executive director
Advocating legal liberty
BY AMANDA BOLSINGER | NEWS REPORTER ^
The Domestic Violence Clinic provides free legal service
for low-income domestic abuse survivors in the area
Courtesy
The Domestic Violence Clinic at Lane County Legal Aid Service helps
clients with restraining-order and stalking-order cases.
Domestic abuse survivors don’t just
need help leaving their negative re
lationships; they often need assis
tance with the plethora of legal documents
required to protect them and their families.
Documents, such as restraining orders and
stalking orders, come at a cost and require
legal aid that many of these survivors sim
ply can’t afford.
The Domestic Violence Clinic at Lane
County Legal Aid Service is the only local
program that provides free, direct legal
assistance to low-income domestic vio
lence survivors.
“The population we serve are up
against a lot of barriers, and they are
high-stakes cases,” clinic Director Ann
Kneeland said. “We are the only service
for many of them.”
The clinic’s services include restraining
orders, stalking orders, divorce and cus
tody filings and hearings.
“Often times the abuser controls the fi
nances,” Kneeland said. “Without money
it’s hard for the survivor to present a case
against the partner with more money. Of
ten the outcome depends on how capably
the argument is presented.”
She added that the survivor sometimes
has emotional trauma or is embarrassed or
nervous about the situation.
“They are all at turning points in their
lives, finding new homes, caring for fami
lies,” Kneeland said. “We try to even the
playing field.”
The clinic works in conjunction with
Womenspace, Sexual Assault Support Ser
vices and the University law school, ac
cording to the clinic’s Web site. Third-year
law students work with the clinic to advise
clients in restraining-order and stalking-or
der cases.
The students can also receive court certi
fication and may appear in court if neces
sary. Some of the students work on cus
tody agreements, such as visitation and
divorce cases.
Apart from the volunteer law students,
the clinic has four attorneys, three advo
cates and three administrative personnel.
Their services are offered at no cost to peo
ple who qualify, Kneeland said.
The clinic receives approximately half
a million dollars each year from various
organizations and various state grants —
the federal Violence Against Women Act
grants the clinic nearly a quarter of a mil
lion dollars annually, while the state’s
Department of Justice gives the clinic
$180,000 annually.
These grants cover the clinic’s expens
es, including employee salaries and
litigation costs for cases. Costs for each
case vary depending on the hours put
into the case and the broad range of serv
ices provided.
The clinic looks at approximately 400 in
take cases each year, and at least half of the
cases viewed receive legal assistance,
Kneeland said. Victims receive free legal
planning, emotional support and social
service referrals.
“Clients come in through legal intake,”
Kneeland said. “If they meet financial
guidelines and pass the conflict check,
then we review their application with the
criteria we use for all applications to decide
which cases we can take.”
The law students, who average about 20
to 25 cases each semester, help shoulder
the burden of the restraining- and stalking
orders work, allowing the clinic to handle
more cases each year, Kneeland said.
“The law students make a very signifi
cant contribution,” he said.
abolsinger@dailyemerald.com
“They are all at turning points in their lives, finding new
homes, caring for families. We try to even the playing field. ”
Ann Kneeland | Domestic Violence Clinic director