Jan Roland, of Racine Habitat for Humanity, asked the city's Finance Committee to transfer ownership of a former playground at 1221 Highland Ave. (see map below) to allow construction of two new homes.
The city removed out-dated playground from the site, creating a vacant lot. Roland said he saw the vacant site and approached the city about building two new homes.
The city's only thought for the site, which at one time had a home on it, was some type of community garden, said Parks Director Donnie Snow, who supported the homes.
Roland said the new construction would help the neighborhood more than a garden.
"Two single-family homes will be a better use than planting tomatoes," Roland said.
Habitat will use its own volunteers, along with volunteers from Diversey Inc., to build the homes. More than 200 volunteers from the company will work at two sites to frame up homes. Habitat volunteers will finish the homes, which will be sold to low-income families.
The homes would be built in 2010.
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Good idea, two more houses on the city tax rolls.
ReplyDeleteTwo more vacant houses. We can't sell the ones that sit empty now. What a jerk, they need houses more than tomatoes. How would he know? Where does he live? Caledonia? The kids needed a playground. But tomatoes would be much better than vacant homes.
ReplyDelete10:15 Not Caledonia, Mt. Pleaseant. The two Habitat houses are built using owners sweat equity. The people who are given the houses, pt in 300 hrs of sweat equity, then the receive the house, BUT pay a mortgage note. So they really are not given the house. They also pay PROPERTY TAX.
ReplyDeleteJust what Racine needs: more low-income housing. Why not resurrect a couple of these existing shells that sit empty? I think we should rename Racine, maybe to dickert's Ghetto.
ReplyDeleteThat's mighty WHITE of you.
ReplyDelete