Habitat for Humanity Dedicates Townhomes

Updated 01:07 p.m., Sunday, December 11, 2011 , Darien News

Robert Stephan of New Canaan, president of the Community BridgeBuilders Coalition, presents a welcome home gift to the Habitat homeowners. Photo: Contributed Photo / CT

  Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County joined with community leaders, project sponsors, volunteers and partner families to dedicate the first four units of its 251 West Main Street townhome complex in Stamford. This is Habitat CFC’s first ever project built in partnership with the City of Stamford and is located in the city’s target revitalization area, a fewblocks away from downtown. The complex has a total of eight townhomes. Construction is expected to be completed in Spring 2012.

 The West Main Street complex was funded through a unique partnership of public and private stakeholders who helped to create this much needed, first time homeownership opportunity for local low-income families. Key contributors include General Electric, The City of Stamford, the Stamford Community Development Office and the Community BridgeBuilders, a coalition of more than 20 churches. Additional sponsors are the Trust Estate of Frances Mackie Cain, New Alliance Foundation, Citizen’s Financial Group, Purdue Pharma, HEI Hotels & Resorts, Habitat CFC’s Women Build program, LISC, Fairfield County Links, Inc., Pitney Bowes, Near & Far Aid, St. John’s Community Foundation, Perna Foundation for Hope, RBS, Second Congregational Church of Greenwich, First United Methodist Church of Stamford, Goodway Technologies and Genworth Financial.

 The home dedication ceremony took place during the final phase of construction. Families are expected to move in within the next few weeks. The four townhomes were built primarily by volunteers and whenever possible, with donated materials, helping to keep the costs well below fair market value. The homes will be sold at cost to working families, who invest 500 hours of “sweat equity,” and are financed through a zero-interest mortgage provided by Habitat.

Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County is an independently run, local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, which is dedicated to eliminating poverty housing wherever it exists. Habitat CFC seeks to build community and improve lives by partnering with low-income families in need of a place to live and with community volunteers and donors to build simple, safe, and affordable neighborhoods. Habitat CFC provides no interest, 30-year mortgages to partner families to purchase homes priced at construction cost. Partner families of Habitat CFC go through an application and approval process and perform 500 hours of sweat equity. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.habitatcfc.org or call 203-333-2642. To donate new or used furniture, appliances and building materials, visit www.fairfieldcountyrestore.org or call 203-383-4358.