The Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative and the Preserve a Home Program
The Housing Need in the U.S. is Significant—and Growing
Roughly one in six Americans is currently in need of a decent, affordable place to live. Our nationwide economic crisis is creating financial difficulties for entire communities as they face not only foreclosures, abandonment and home maintenance issues, but also the variety of problems that surface as a result. In short, families and communities are suffering.
The Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative
Habitat for Humanity’s Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI) is a strategic response to the profound challenges that face communities throughout the United States. This is a new way to look at the work most affiliates have been doing for many years. While Habitat’s traditional methods of new construction remain strong, increasingly, affiliates across the country are expanding the way they work to attract more volunteers and sponsors to ultimately serve more families. The holistic approach of the NRI enables affiliates to have a broader impact on a neighborhood community level.
A Community Solution to Community Needs
Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County has been selected as one of 163 affiliates nationwide to participate in Habitat for Humanity International’s initial phase of its Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative. That effort will focus on improving housing conditions while partnering with other community organizations to provide services that enhance the overall quality of life across struggling neighborhoods.
Habitat affiliates have an important role in neighborhood revitalization efforts. We know the needs of our community and the transformative effect safe, decent housing can have on a family. We also know that just one decent home in a blighted neighborhood, while a good start, is not the only help the community needs. The Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative was designed to help U.S. affiliates as they work to transform neighborhoods using a holistic approach— joining residents, nonprofits, businesses, local governments and communities of faith to create and implement a shared vision of revitalization.
Habitat for Humanity’s NRI and our local “Preserve a Home” initiative will enable our Ventura County affiliate to serve more families by responding to community housing needs with an expanded array of products, services and partnerships. Habitat will remain committed to building new energy-efficient homes, but will broaden its scope of services with such diverse housing solutions as A Brush with Kindness, the first of three components of the Preserve a Home Program, which focuses solely on simple exterior repairs.
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
A Brush With Kindness |
Minor Repair |
Major/Critical Repair |
Exterior work only:
|
Interior and exterior work:
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Interior and exterior work needed to maintain the home:
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Repair costs: up to $2,000 |
Repair costs: up to $5,000 |
Repair costs: $5,000 to $15,000 |
How We Do It
Together, Habitat for Humanity, neighborhood residents and local partners can change the face of neighborhoods and the lives of the families who live there. Collaboration with other local groups is essential to develop a common plan and vision for the future; forge formal and informal partnership and alliances at the local level; join community coalitions; and rally active neighborhood support.
We partner with the city and a mix of organizations and corporations to provide the funds to repair the homes. We also provide opportunities for caring volunteer groups to assist homeowners in completing repairs.
Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County is working to provide adequate housing by building simple, decent homes or renewing others while in partnership with people in need.
For more information, or to sponsor a project, please contact Felipe Fores at (805) 485-6065, x202 or fe*****@ha************.org.
