Habitat’s 204th Homeowner Family Dedicates Home

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Habitat for Humanity’s 204th homeowner family will dedicate their new home on November 19th 2017. More than 250 Habitat for Humanity volunteers contributed time and talent to this project, working beside the future homeowner family. This home was the site of the Women Build 2017. Volunteers included Habitat’s regular Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday crews, and groups from Eaton Corporation, Old National Bank, Nielsen, Advia Credit Union, Tower Pinkster, Truth Church, Owen-Ames-Kimball, Women’s Lifestyle Magazine, FOCUS Kalamazoo, Arbor Financial Credit Union, Stryker and Grainger Industrial Supply. The modest three bedroom home will be the third that Habitat has built to the rigorous Zero Energy Ready Home standard administered by the U. S. Department of Energy. It uses advanced construction techniques, added insulation, upgraded windows, and ultra-efficient appliances. This creates a comfortable, healthy, durable home for the family that is affordable to maintain and operate. The estimated energy costs are only about $700 per year. While there is a small increase in cost to build to these efficiency standards, the family can expect to save at least $25,000 in energy costs over the next 30 years. A no-step entry, wider doors and hallways, and a larger bath were also installed that can…

Our Annual Report

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Strength. Stability. Self-reliance. Through shelter, Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity helps homeowners and future homeowners build, achieve, and learn all of these things. Habitat’s innovative homeownership program provides opportunities to individuals and families to build and buy affordable homes. Our home repair program meets the critical needs of existing homeowners who seek ways to preserve their homes affordably. As we complete our 34th year of service, our mission and vision have never been clearer: Everyone deserves a decent place to call home. This infographic  provides a quick look at the highlights of our fiscal year. As a banker, I love to crunch numbers. As a Habitat board member, I’ve learned that numbers alone cannot adequately reflect the success of our programs. Meet some of the people behind the numbers in this newsletter. Habitat’s work is shared by many. We thank our homeowners who partner with us with persistence, energy, and great faith. We are grateful for the support of our volunteers, funders, donors, and community partners, too. Thank you all. But, there is more work to do. Everyone can help, everyone can make a difference. With the partnership of more homeowners, the help of more volunteers, and greater financial investment…

Habitat Leader Wins Governor’s Award

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Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity Director of Construction Operations Tom Tishler won the 2017 Governor’s Energy Excellence Award for Best Residential Project. Tishler was nominated by Consumers Energy for Habitat’s first Zero Energy Ready Home on Glendale Boulevard.Governor Snyder presented Tishler with the award. The post on the program’s website, mienergyexcellence.org, noted that the energy efficiency of this Habitat home enhances the affordability for the homeowners: “Part of Habitat for Humanity’s mission is building high-performance homes with a focus on lowering the cost of ownership for the families who live in them. Tom Tishler, however, raised the bar when he constructed a high-performance Habitat for Humanity home in Kalamazoo, where yearly energy costs are expected to be less than $800, saving more than $20,000 over the lifetime of the mortgage,” the post reads. Habitat accomplished this, in part, by applying green building practices to design and build the modest 1,100 square foot, 3 bedroom home, the third Zero Energy Ready Home® (ZERH) built in Michigan. A Zero Energy Ready Home® is built to U.S. Department of Energy high performance standards. The home is built to be ready, with the installation of a small renewable energy system like solar panels, to…

Homeownership Application Cycle Open

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The application cycle for Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity’s (Habitat) affordable homeownership program is open until December 31st. To request an application packet, contact the Habitat office, 1126 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, 269-344-2443, ext. 211. Qualified applicants must need better housing, be able to repay the affordable mortgage loan Habitat provides, and be willing to partner with Habitat to complete the program requirements. Applicants also must meet income guidelines determined annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. More detailed information can be viewed at habitatkalamazoo.org. Application packets can be requested by contacting the Habitat office, 1126 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, 269-344-2443, ext. 211. Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity builds 4-5 decent, affordable homes each year in partnership with qualified future homeowners. Habitat builds and rehabilitates homes in locations where future homeowners, volunteers, affordable lots and/or rehab-able homes, and funding are available. Habitat sells its homes without profit and provides an affordable mortgage. Habitat is also accepting applications for its home repair program. This program helps low income homeowners repair and maintain their homes. Habitat offers a range of repairs and affordable repair loans to residents of Kalamazoo County, the cities of Otsego, Plainwell, and Otsego and Gun Plain townships.…

Habitat Construction Program Saves Energy, Gets Attention and Awards

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Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity has earned a new award and a prestigious award nomination. Consumers Energy selected Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity as its 2016 Top Home Builder of the Year for Excellence in Energy Efficiency in the New Home Construction category. Tom Tishler, Habitat’s director of construction operations, is a finalist for Best Residential Project in the 2017 Governor’s Energy Excellence Award program. Tishler and Habitat were nominated for the Governor’s Award by Consumers Energy for the Zero Energy Ready home we built on Glendale Boulevard, Kalamazoo. Habitat is one of twenty-three finalists in eight categories for the Governors awards which recognize people and organizations in Michigan that have taken firm, meaningful actions to improve energy efficiency. “Through our policies and initiatives in Michigan, we are working hard to ensure energy reliability, advance clean energy and help business owners and resident reduce energy waste,” said Gov. Rick Snyder. “Among other things, we’re encouraging utilities to provide incentives and programs that make it easier for others to follow the example of those we’re honoring this year.” Habitat joins two other Kalamazoo finalists for the Governor’s Award: Better World Builders is a finalist for Contractor of the Year and the…