Habitat completing last 2 houses in West Chicago subdivision
The DuPage Chapter of Habitat for Humanity is set to break ground Friday on its final two houses in a West Chicago subdivision.
More than 1,000 volunteers are scheduled to work on the two houses, scheduled for completion in June, bringing the Habitat total in the Pioneer Prairie subdivision to 13.
"The Habitat for Humanity subdivision has been a wonderful addition to the city," Mayor Ruben Pineda said. "As an active proponent of this project from its inception, I'm looking forward to the completion of the last two houses, and having two more families join our great community."
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that builds homes for families through a combination of volunteer work and donations. They also do repair work and overhaul older homes.
Friday's groundbreaking will allow DuPage Habitat to provide an additional family, who has still not been identified, a "safe and decent place to live," said Lauren Andres, special events and marketing manager for Habitat.
Half the homes' construction costs were covered by a donation of $125,000 by Thrivent Financial, a financial services organization. The remaining funding will be raised through the efforts of Habitat affiliates, business partnerships and local congregations.
One beneficiary of the largesse is the family of Yadu and Tila Adhikari, who have lived in a Habitat home since 2012.
"I heard about Habitat from my friends," Yadu said.
He said the family is happy to be out of their old apartment, which was unsanitary and infested with roaches and bedbugs.
"A home is a good environment," he said.
The Adhikaris' acceptance into the Habitat program was contingent on both putting in 250 volunteer hours. After qualifying, they bought the home at better-than-market price because Habitat sells the homes it builds at no profit.
Pioneer Prairie was approved by West Chicago in 2007. Planning began the following year. According to Andres, one of the biggest obstacles to building "decent affordable homes" was high property taxes in DuPage County.
Of the 11 homes currently standing, all were built to a minimum of Energy Star certification, which are designed to be much "greener" when compared with other homes on the market. One home achieved LEED certification.
In addition, DuPage Habitat for Humanity projects include Prairie Green, at Route 53 and Butterfield Road, and a 12-unit town home development near Glen Ellyn.
Since its inception in 1995, DuPage Habitat for Humanity has served 80 families. They hope to serve more than that over the next three years.