Careful planning, strong relationships within the home building industry and a whole lot of heart! These essential ingredients all went into making the Home Builders Blitz 2012 an amazing success.
The Home Builders Blitz 2012 is a Habitat for Humanity International event in which professional home builders across the nation housed 200 Habitat families in one week, helping over 800 people escape substandard housing.
Here in Portland, four local builders stepped up to each take a Habitat home from slab to finishing touches in a flurry of activity during just one week in June. Reilly Signature Homes and Neil Kelly were first-time participants. Schumacher Custom Homes and Fish Construction NW expanded their prior Home Builders Blitz participation by each building a two-story home. Over 100 local subcontractors and suppliers supported their efforts by donating home building materials and services.
“Building a home for a family in need is a chance for the home building community to give back to the greater community,” said Jeff Fish, President of Fish Construction NW.
“It is amazing to put our resources to good use,” said John Reilly, owner of Reilly Signature Homes. “The Habitat families are unbelievably dedicated. We loved participating.”
Many local businesses rallied behind the Home Builders Blitz 2012. Sterling Bank provided lunch six of the seven build days, Portland General Electric lent Habitat tents at no charge to create a shady spot for meals and Home Certified, Inc. brought in blowers to ensure that the drywall cured in time for interior paint.
“Watching the community step up at every level to support the builders was inspirational,” said Steve Messinetti, President and CEO of Habitat.
The rewards of this community-wide effort are beyond measure. Because four home builders each raised their hands to take on this tremendous task, four Habitat families now have the opportunity to leave substandard housing behind for good. The 13 children living in these homes will start next school year with the confidence that they won’t have to change schools mid-term because their family is chasing affordable rent. Their parents will rest easy at night, in homes built to LEED Platinum or Energy Star standards, with utilities that will remain affordable for years to come. As this 45-home Habitat development begins to blossom, the Centennial Neighborhood will continue to benefit from the stability these homeowners bring.