Because of the positive experience everyone shared, we wanted to expand our involvement in the Habitat program in 2004. However, we found that most of the Habitat crews were already set for the coming summer. Luckily, we were able to join up with the crew from Easter Lutheran Church in Eagan, who committed to fully staffing a Habitat site in St. Paul for a full week. By combining forces with Easter, we enjoyed the honor of "completing" 5 new houses. Many crews worked on these homes before us but we grateful to be the last Habitat crew there before the families took possession of their new homes.

  Because of excavation and prep delays at the site, our 2005 involvement was limited to work at the H4H pre-assembly facility. Once again, members of the congregation partnered  with Easter Lutheran

Housing Facts

• 12 million US households find it necessary to spend more than 50% of their annual incomes for housing.
• A family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States.
• In the U. S. 95 million people, one-third of the nation, had housing problems (high cost burden, overcrowding, poor quality, or homelessness) in 2001.
• According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the nation’s official poverty rate rose from 11.7% in 2001 to 12.1% in 2002.
• Low-income households with excessive housing costs are found throughout the Twin Cities metro area, not just in a few concentrated areas.
• The U. S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) says that about 38,000 households in the metro area are “worse case” renters; that is, those with incomes less than half of the area median and who pay over half of their income for rent, or who are living in severely substandard housing. About 20,000 are in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and about 18,000 are in the suburbs.
• • It is estimated that by 2020, 51,000 metro area homeowners and 132,500 metro area renters will be low-income with housing cost burdens (paying more than 30% of their income on housing and earning less than $20,000).

Twin Cities Habifacts

• A homeowner works between 300 and 500 sweat equity hours before moving into a Twin Cities Habitat home.
• Twin Cities Habitat has built or rehab-ed more than 600 homes since 1985.
• The average monthly payment for a Twin Cities Habitat home, including mortgage, insurance, taxes, and maintenance escrow is $550-$650.
• The estimated number of Habitat homes to be completed in the Twin Cities in fiscal year 2004-05 is 60.
• Approximately 3,000 individuals are now living in Twin Cities Habitat homes.
• More than 250 congregations currently partner with Twin Cities Habitat.
• Twin Cities Habitat is currently ranked among the top five U.S. Habitat affiliates in number of homes built.