More Encouraging news

[Guest guest]

This is an example of government incentives working for the good of everyone.

This would not happen otherwise.

Note that some of the houses will be specifically designed for disabled

owners.

I hate losing more of our forested foothills, but at least some people other

than just the wealthy will enjoy it.

Wow, even teachers will be able to afford to live in the Habitat built homes

(but not in the rest of the developement of course.).

+++++++++++++++++++

Friday, March 31, 2000, 09:22 p.m. Pacific

Habitat homes get upscale address

by Mike Lindblom

Seattle Times Eastside bureau

Weyerhaeuser Real Estate has donated 10 acres of land worth at least several

million dollars to Habitat for Humanity, which plans to build 50 affordable

homes at Snoqualmie Ridge, one of the Eastside's trendy new addresses.

The value of the gift makes it the largest contribution Habitat for Humanity

has received in the Northwest, said Mcs, executive director of

the nonprofit organization's Eastside office.

The Habitat homes, at the southeast corner of the luxury development, will be

within the financial reach of cooks, teachers, janitors and others who earn a

moderate income. To qualify, a family of four would have to make about

$30,000 a year or less.

" It's obviously exceedingly exciting for us, " Mcs said.

A " blitzbuild " of homes is planned for August 2001, when volunteers and

future residents will construct the first 20 homes in only three weeks, he

said. Habitat has a decade to finish the other 30 houses, but it won't wait

that long.

The land isn't purely a freewill offering: It helps fulfill Snoqualmie's

permit requirements that Weyerhaeuser provide affordable housing. But it's

not merely supplying property. Weyerhaeuser and contractors will install

water pipes, sewers, roads and other infrastructure. The company, Habitat and

the city signed their agreement Monday.

" Weyerhaeuser and the city of Snoqualmie deserve to be commended in putting

their heads together and reaching agreement to supply housing that really is

affordable, " Mcs said.

Weyerhaeuser has given more than $1 million to Habitat projects worldwide and

last year supplied labor and volunteer time to building projects in Olympia,

Dallas and other sites, said company spokesman Mendizabal.

Habitat's acreage sits across Snoqualmie Parkway from the Jack

Nicklaus-designed golf course and houses ranging from around $220,000 to $1.1

million. Neighbors of differing wealth will share parks and an elementary

school.

Each Habitat house will be a separate structure that faces common parks and

green spaces, with automobile entry from alleys in the rear. At least five

will be accessible to disabled people.

To make its Snoqualmie Ridge homes affordable, Habitat will sell only the

houses, and residents will lease the ground under them for nominal fees. Home

prices will be around $65,000 to $75,000 and subject to inflation-adjusted

price caps when resold.

Qualifying families must provide 500 hours of labor and earn less than half

the area's median income. On the prosperous Eastside, a family of four making

$31,000 or less can qualify. Monthly mortgage payments, at zero interest,

will probably be around $600 a month. Mcs predicts six times as many

interested families as there are homes available.

In its 10 years, Eastside Habitat has built only 16 homes on the Eastside,

where land prices have severely limited the agency's work. But affordable

housing is worth striving for, said Mcs.

" For me, it's a matter of morality and justice. I believe a diversified

community is a strong community. I believe people who work in and support the

basic needs of the community ought to be able to live there. "

The pace of home building will accelerate soon, he said. The agency has set a

goal of 100 new houses on the Eastside, 95 in Seattle and 15 in South King

County in the next five years. Land deals already have been made for some

Eastside projects: 20 to 24 homes on Redmond's Avondale Road; 12 homes in

Newcastle, just downhill from The Golf Club at Newcastle; and eight homes in

Bothell.

A celebration is planned next Thursday at Snoqualmie Ridge, where Millard

Fuller, the agency's founder, will speak. Habitat's 100,000th house will be

built in New York this fall by former President , and the agency aims

to build 100,000 homes worldwide in the next five years.

Snoqualmie Ridge is a 2,500-house neighborhood still under construction on

former Weyerhaeuser timberland above the Snoqualmie River.

Arlet Bahr, director of the homeowners association, said she's heard few

comments among the 270 existing residents about having lower-income homes

nearby, and those comments have been positive. " In fact, we have people

wanting to volunteer to help build houses, " she said.

Habitat for Humanity of East King County can be reached at .

http://www.seattletimes.com/news/local/html98/snoq31e_20000331.html