First new Gilmer home build in 30-plus years this fall
The new year is already off to a strong start for the Habitat For Humanity chapter that serves Gilmer County.
The Fannin-Gilmer Habitat team plans to build their first new Gilmer County home in more than three decades later this year, while an extensive local home repair effort started in December has continued into 2022, noted Chris Hall, Habitat For Humanity of Fannin and Gilmer Counties executive director.
“We understand that Habitat hasn’t been involved with much in Gilmer County,” Hall said. “My approach this time to the communities we serve is that we need residents to step up, and that’s what happened.”
‘A building community’
Since forming in 2002, the two-county Habitat chapter’s actual homebuilding efforts have been in Fannin, Hall confirmed. In Gilmer, a big obstacle has been securing enough property on which to build homes, he noted.
Hall figures 1988 was the last time a Habitat For Humanity home went up in Gilmer County. That house had to be foreclosed on and sold some years later, he said.
“To get the home ownership program off the ground and start building houses, we need land. That’s the main thing,” Hall confirmed.
Great strides were recently made in that department. Just over 3 acres of land inside the Ellijay city limits has been donated, and it looks like a home will be built on it this fall, Hall noted.
“We have land, water and power. Development talks are underway,” he said.
In Fannin, enough property to accommodate four Habitat homes was purchased in 2018, Hall noted. A third home build is underway there now.
“Our first home (there) burned down, and we (plan) on rebuilding this year,” he said. “We’re going to do everything possible to build a home in Gilmer and a home in Fannin the same year.”
The Gilmer homebuilding announcement comes after new community support is being shown here. Much of that support is coming from local builders and home repair professionals, as well as Appalachian Supply, Hall noted. The local home improvement store has agreed to pitch in with upcoming repair and homebuilding efforts, he said.
“I’ve never had the staff of an entire business get on board with coming out,” Hall added. “If we don’t have buy-in, we can’t do anything. We need our local suppliers, vendors, builders and all the folks it takes to do these projects come together and really try to make a difference on affordable housing, as well as housing repairs to keep folks in their homes.”
With enough participation, the Ellijay Habitat home should be built in two or three months, Hall noted.
“We are a building community. My favorite thing to say is that Field of Dreams saying, ‘If you build it they will come,”’ he added. “When we break ground, I know there will be no problem. It will be pretty straightforward. We have our plans in place, and we’ve built a number of houses using the same plans. We’re pretty well versed in how to build these houses. We just need folks from within the community to come out and help.”
The Habitat team hopes to build more new homes here after that three-decade dry spell finally ends.
“We’re willing to do everything we can to do two to three homes a year and help with repairs for current homeowners if we can,” Hall said.
Home repair project underway
In recent years, the Fannin-Gilmer chapter has been able to complete a few home repair projects here. Those, too, are looking to be stepped up in the coming year.
“I know there’s a lot of folks who would like to stay in their homes, especially older folks and grandparents, (some of whom) are raising their grandchildren,” Hall said.
The most recent repair project began in December for Gilmer resident Joyce Cantrell. Cantrell, 84, needed the roof on her home replaced after the ceiling caved in, Hall said. Prior to that, the last Habitat repair project done here was in 2016.
More repairs still need to be done to repair the damage to Cantrell’s home, but a new metal roof has already been installed with help from local roofer Steve Stacey, Hall said.
“He knocked it out and did an amazing job. They replaced the whole roof,” he added.
Habitat repair project costs are typically paid back over time by those who receive them, but fundraising was done to make this one happen, Hall noted.
“This one is not a typical project. Money was raised specifically to help her,” he added. “If they can afford to pay, we can charge zero percent interest on repairs. We have other programs and services where we can get grants and other things donated to offset those costs.”
Informational fundraiser scheduled
Habitat for Humanity of Fannin and Gilmer Counties will hold a fundraiser and public interest event at downtown Ellijay restaurant and bar The Roof Wednesday, Feb. 2, from 5-8 p.m.
Anyone interested in future local Habitat projects can stop in and ask questions, said Hall.
“It’s to introduce us to the folks in Gilmer County,” he added.
A recent policy adopted by the Habitat chapter is that money raised in each county stays in that county to fund projects, Hall noted.
“The board made a policy that funds raised in Gilmer stay in Gilmer, and Fannin is the same way. If you want your money to stay in Gilmer, just let us know and our audit will show it,” he added.