Saturday, August 23, 2008

Latest Habitat home in Hobe Sound house represents the future of Habitat

Stuart, Florida---Habitat for Humanity of Martin County, dedicated its  71^st home on Saturday August 23, 2008 and welcomed Romero Nambo and his wife Maria Concepcion Nambo as part of Habitat for Humanity of Martin County growing roster of partner families.

There is a great deal of history surrounding this recent home dedication.  It was once an existing  home!   In the fall of 2007, Michele Reilly, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Martin County received a call from Michele Owens with the Martin County Building Department.  Ms. Owens said that she was working with an absentee property owner regarding a house in Hobe Sound that had multiple code violations.  She believed that the property owner might be interested in selling and thought we might be interested in buying.

“The house was dilapidated and in need of a new roof (as well as new wiring walls and other things), said Michele.  People had been congregating inside and there were beer bottles littering the property.”

An agreement to purchase was negotiated and the Habitat purchased the house in November 2007.  Habitat was now obligated to resolve the code violations and to make the house habitable.

The Hobe Sound Community Chest had provided the funding for the purchase of the house.  Funding for the renovation was provided by NAPA Auto Parts (on Monterey), Christ Memorial Chapel, and the friends of Mariner Sands Country Club (Romero Nambo, the recipient of the home, has been employed by Mariner Sands for 10 years).

Habitat for Humanity of Martin County fully intends to be an active partner in community redevelopment, focusing primarily in the Community Redevelopment Areas so designated throughout the county.  Habitat for Humanity will continue to construct new homes in areas where appropriate such as Port Salerno, Golden Gate and Banner Lake.  Abandoned, foreclosed and vacant homes, provide opportunities to develop affordable housing utilizing donated materials and volunteer labor.  Habitat will then provide zero interest 30 year mortgages to qualifying partner families.