Thursday, September 5, 2013
A group of Martin County organizations partnered to form the ultimate, community-building dream team, and now their vision is becoming a reality as four Habitat for Humanity homes come to completion.
Habitat for Humanity of Martin County celebrated the grand opening of the Carter Park Development and dedicated their first four homes to the Sanchez, Mondragon, Jackson and Juan families on Aug. 28 in Indiantown. Following the ceremony, attendees previewed the homes and enjoyed cake and coffee.
The Sanchez, Mondragon, Jackson and Juan families have each contributed 300 sweat equity hours working on their homes and the homes of others as a requirement for becoming Habitat homeowners. Through the donations of funds, materials and volunteer labor, Habitat was able to build these four homes and sell them at an affordable price. The families purchased their homes with a no-profit loan and their monthly mortgage payments will be used to build additional Habitat houses.
The Martin County Community Redevelopment Agency and Board of County Commissioners, Habitat for Humanity of Martin County, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County joined hands in 2011 with the vision of building a new community in Indiantown named Carter Park. This partnership includes the construction of 40 Habitat homes, stormwater treatment for 256-acre watershed, and a new Boys & Girls Club uniquely situated among several established neighborhoods.
“This partnership will provide Indiantown with a brand new neighborhood, a public open space, and a Boys & Girls Club within walking distance of the surrounding communities,” said Edward Erfurt, urban designer for the Martin County CRA who has helped coordinate the development application. “It’s an amazing partnership and a national exemplar. We hope to build similar relationships in our other seven CRA’s.”
Since 1992, Habitat has built 31 homes throughout Indiantown and plans to build a total of 40 affordable, energy efficient homes with two-, three- and four-bedroom floor plans in the new Carter Park community.
“Home ownership addresses so much more than the basic need for shelter; it creates success stories. Children of home owners are 25 percent more likely to graduate high school; 116 percent more likely to graduate from college; and 16 percent more likely to belong to community organizations,” said Margot Graff, Habitat for Humanity of Martin County’s executive director. “With the partnership of our Habitat families attending the Boys & Girls Clubs programs, we are certain those statistics will make a difference in Indiantown, enhancing the future and creating success stories for many.”
With the support of the community, corporate sponsorships and funding, Habitat estimates the build-out time for all 40 homes in the Carter Park community to be between five and seven years. To learn how you can help, contact Mike Readling, Habitat’s director of resource development, at 772-223-9940. Visit HabitatMartin.org for more information.
About Habitat for Humanity of Martin County
Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity of Martin County brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since its inception as a not-for-profit organization in 1986, Habitat has built 101 homes in Hobe Sound, Indiantown, Jensen Beach, Port Salerno and Stuart. For more information, call 772-223-9940.
