HELENA AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

IN FY2025, HELENA AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COMPLETED TEN NEW HOMES AND HAD SIX MORE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT YEAR-END. THE ORGANIZATION FINALIZED A FOURTEEN-HOME DEVELOPMENT IN RED LODGE, MONTANA, COMPRISING TEN OWNER-OCCUPIED HOMES AND FOUR AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS. ALL HOMES IN THIS DEVELOPMENT WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH A LAND TRUST TO ENSURE PERMANENT AFFORDABILITY.THE ORGANIZATION HAS RE-WORKED ITS HOMEOWNER SELECTION PROCESS AND SERVICES. WE HOPE TO INCREASE FINANCIAL READINESS RESOURCES FOR PROSPECTIVE HOMEBUYERS AND HOUSEHOLDS TO ENSURE OUR CLIENTS HAVE RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THEIR FINANCIAL CONDITIONS.WITH THE RED LODGE PROJECT NOW COMPLETE, HABITAT HAS FOCUSED ON EXPANDING ITS OWNER-OCCUPIED CRITICAL REPAIR PROGRAMS, SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING NINE OF THESE PROJECTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO LAUNCHED THE "HELPING HANDS" PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES ESSENTIAL REPAIR SERVICES FOR HOMEOWNERS NEEDING MINOR, HANDS-ON ASSISTANCE. THIS PROGRAM IS LIMITED TO SMALL PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE ONLY BASIC MATERIALS AND LABOR TO HELP PRESERVE HOMES.THE HABITAT RESTORE CONTINUES TO OFFER AFFORDABLE BUILDING MATERIALS TO THE HELENA COMMUNITY. PLANS ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY TO EXPAND THE EXISTING RESTORE SPACE, AND IN FY2025, THE RESTORE SUCCESSFULLY DIVERTED 329 TONS OF MATERIAL FROM LOCAL LANDFILLS.HELENA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HAS ALSO MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN PLANNING A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD IN EAST HELENA, MONTANA. THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN NAMED ROSE HILLS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAND AND NEIGHBORHOOD WILL BE UNDERTAKEN BY ELEANOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (EDC), A WHOLLY OWNED SUPPORT ORGANIZATION OF HELENA HABITAT. EDC WAS FORMED AND FUNDED IN FY2025 AND RECEIVED ITS 501(C)(3) STATUS DURING THE YEAR. THE CITY OF EAST HELENA HAS DEEMED THE SUBDIVISION PLANS FOR ROSE HILLS AS "SUFFICIENT" ALLOWING THE PLANS TO ADVANCE TO THE PUBLIC REVIEW PROCESS. ASSUMING THE PRELIMINARY PLOT IS APPROVED IN THE FALL 2025, THE FIRST HOMES WILL BE STARTED IN THE FALL 2026 OR WINTER 2027.