Habitat for Humanity Day declared

Homeownership changes families - changing children and providing them a healthier place for them to live, said Richard Church, executive director of Aiken County Habitat for Humanity.

In 1985, he said, "The United Nations started World Habitat Day to bring attention to the plight of millions of people living in poverty housing."

In conjunction with World Habitat Day on Monday, Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh issued a proclamation declaring Monday as "Habitat for Humanity Day" throughout the City and encouraging all residents to support and get involved with the organization.

"We have partnered with Habitat many times," Cavanaugh said. "I just applaud Richard and his staff and all the volunteers for what they're doing countywide, not just in the City. They're finishing their 76th house, and what better thing can we do than help people who need help the most?"

A press release on World Habitat Day indicated that as many as 100 million people in the world are homeless. Millions more live with inadequate sanitation and security and have limited or no access to electricity and water. The numbers include many families in America, South Carolina and Aiken County, Church said, and many are paying exorbitant amounts for poverty-level housing, he said.

"These are people who work," he said. "They are minimum-wage earners, working in all the little places and working hard to make a living. Renting takes 50 to 60 percent of their disposable income. They wouldn't have the opportunity to own their home, but Habitat allows them to get a home on an affordable basis."

According to the news release, a two-bedroom apartment costs about $675 in South Carolina. To pay rent and utilities without exceeding more than 30 percent of one's income, a household would need income of $12.98 an hour. A worker making the minimum wage cannot afford it. Habitat builds homes for eligible applicants, requiring them to provide extensive "sweat equity" in the construction of their homes.

"They get more disposable income to meet their basic needs of education, food, utilities, insurance and transportation," Church said.

The Habitat homes built in the City of Aiken are constructed on empty lots, Cavanaugh said.

"We get another family in our city with a nice home and a new beginning, and they're good citizens," he said.

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.