Building Brooklyn: Habitat for Humanity Gets a Helping Hand

Just steps from the G train on a nondescript block of Lafayette Avenue, three black SUVs lined the street and cameramen held umbrellas over their equipment. As Bedford-Stuyvesant residents sloshed down the sidewalk through the rain, Spike Lee and Marty Markowitz stood with a small suited crowd under a white tent in front of a construction site. The site, which was an empty lot less than a year ago, is part of Habitat for Humanity's current $6.8 million construction project of four row houses in Bed-Stuy, which received a $50,000 donation from Absolut Vodka. During a press conference yesterday afternoon, Ian Crystal, brand director for Absolut Vodka, presented Josh Lockwood, Executive Director of Habitat-NYC, with a giant bottle-shaped check for $50,000 in true Ed McMahon style.

“To keep our homes affordable to families in need, we rely on both volunteer labor to do some of the work and financial contributions,” said Mr. Lockwood. “It’s so expensive to build in New York City so a big contribution like $50,000 is tremendously important.”

As opposed to single-family homes made from wood, buildings in New York City are multi-family, steel frame construction, which drives up the cost of labor and materials. Additionally, Habitat must ensure that the buildings conform to the city’s building codes. Mr. Lockwood explained that on average, building a condominium in New York costs Habitat about $300,000 (about the cost of two page sized Absolut ads in Vanity Fair). They then sell that unit for $150,000, meaning the organization must match half the cost.

The four row houses will provided 16 units, a mix of two- and three- bedroom condominiums. The buildings are located at 118 Hart Street, 544 Lafayette Avenue, and 512 and 514 Lafayette Avenue, the two adjacent buildings where the press conference took place. They will be equipped with Energy Star appliances, energy-efficient windows, and water-saving toilets, faucets, and showerheads, helping homeowners save 30 percent or more on utility bills.

Funding for the project came from various sources. Habitat took out a $2.5 million construction loan, which will be repaid by fundraising and the families' mortgages. The New York City Housing Trust Fund provided nearly $2 million, $640,000 came from the New York State Affordable Housing Corporartion, and another $1.5 million came from a variety of government offices, including the Borough President, the New York City Capital Funds, and council member Al Vann.

In addition to donating money, Absolut brought out a group of 23 volunteers from Pernod Ricard USA. “We got here at 8 a.m. and they gave us hardhats and put us right to work,” said volunteer Ann Ellenwood. “It really was so rewarding.”

The group spent the day in 512 and 514 Lafayette Avenue, putting drywall on the ceiling — a task that Mr. Lockwood says is physically one of the hardest jobs Habitat volunteers do.

Mr. Lockwood emphasizes that Habitat looks for families that demonstrate a serious need for assistance. “We find families that are doing everything right in their lives. They’re holding down a full time job, they’re putting their kids through school, they’re taking care of elderly parents, but they can’t catch a break on the housing front,” he said. Applicants go through a thorough selection process, including a written application, home visit, and a full family panel interview. Once chosen, Habitat requires the families to put in 300 “sweat equity hours,” meaning the families must be involved with construction, whether it’s on their own unit or another project.

“It’s not like they are giving you a handout,” said Nathalie Sutton, the mother of a family that will be moving into 118 Hart Street. “You actually are working towards what you want. It’s a sense of ownership, and you feel empowered. They’re doing a wonderful thing and I’m so grateful for them.”

Sutton currently lives in a cramped two-bedroom with her partner and children, a 15-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter. “They’ll each have their own room, so no more fighting!” she said, grinning. “It will give us the space we need and the money I’m paying in rent will now be going to a mortgage, which is obviously a lot better.”

Habitat’s goal in Brooklyn is to help hard working people like Sutton stay in the neighborhoods they’ve lived in their whole lives. Beverly Cheuvront, Communications Director for Habitat-NYC, says that they can’t ensure that the homes they build go to current neighborhood residents, but they do a strong neighborhood outreach and give priority to those applicants.

Habitat-NYC has completed 87 homes in Brooklyn, with the most recent being a 41-condominium building on Atlantic Avenue in Ocean Hill-Brownsville. The building is the largest and greenest complex ever built by Habitat for Humanity. Over the next five years, Habitat will be completing nearly 100 more homes in Brooklyn. Mr. Lockwood said that Habitat-NYC received federal stimulus money that they will be using to acquire and rehabilitate foreclosed homes in Bed-Stuy and Brownsville.

“I’m really looking forward to being able to work on new projects,” said Ms. Sutton. “It’s all about giving back. One hand helps the other because everyone needs a helping hand.”

If you know a family living that could benefit from Habitat for Humanity, they can apply for the Hart-Lafayette units online here.