Habitat for Humanity executive Larry Gluth looks over a map of Hancock County with Wendy McDonald of Bay St. Louis. (John Brecher / MSNBC.com)
KILN, Miss. -- An ambitious plan to replace some of the thousands of homes lost to Hurricane Katrina is quickly taking shape on computer screens, drawing boards and back roads here in Hancock County.
Habitat for Humanity, the 30-year-old Christian-based nonprofit popularized by former President Jimmy Carter, plans to build “thousands and thousands” of homes via its self-help program during the next several years in hurricane-devastated communities across the South.
That’s the word from Larry Gluth, a Habitat executive from the group’s home office in Americus, Ga. “We’re looking at upwards of 1,000 homes between Beaumont, Texas, and Mobile over the next 18 months,” says Gluth, a vice president with Habitat’s "Operation Home Delivery," a unit created specifically to respond to needs in the hurricane zones.
The hunt for land is in the hands of Wendy McDonald, a diminutive, silver-haired, indefatigable Bay St. Louis native who seems to have her finger in every pie of Hancock County’s hurricane recovery efforts. After the storm struck, McDonald, 53, put a career in Houston on hold to return to her hometown and help form Hancock County Citizens in Action, a grassroots volunteer group whose chief mission is to cut the red tape between government agencies and speed relief to all parts of the community.
But the housing mission seems especially dear to her heart -- Katrina exacted a shocking toll on the homes of her parents and other relatives -- and her connections with local government officials are giving Habitat a leg up in its search for a key ingredient in its recipe for the “decent, affordable shelter” it touts in its literature: land.
On a recent day, in a darkened room at the temporary county government complex of portable buildings here, chief Hancock County building official Mickey Lagasse scrolled through screen after screen of tax roll information to help McDonald and Gluth identify potential lots and tracts for Habitat projects.
Looking for reasonably priced lots
“We’re kind of land poor in Bay St. Louis and Waveland,” McDonald explained. Many now-bare lots in those towns will be too expensive for Habitat’s program if they come on the market, or they’ll be in flood zones where the organization does not intend to build. Instead, the group is eying rural areas where they hope to secure lots for $2,000 to $5,000 apiece.
“Everywhere I go I say, ‘Anybody got any land they want to sell to Habitat,’” McDonald says with a laugh. “Everybody just kind of looks at you.”
After meeting with Lagasse, she and Gluth went out to inspect some property in person. Finding a “For Sale” sign amid a stretch of undeveloped lots in unincorporated Bayside Park, they spread topographic maps on the hood of a car to determine flood-zone data.
“It would be worth looking into,” McDonald said, running her finger along contour lines on the map.
In addition to elevation, the group’s main criteria for selecting lots include residential zoning, paved roads, and availability of water and sewer. Plugging those factors into his computer, the county’s Lagasse can help McDonald and Gluth streamline Habitat’s search. Of particular potential may be existing but undeveloped subdivisions where “a lot of land speculators came in and bought lots in the ’70s and ’80s,” Lagasse says.
Opportunity for 'serious revitalization'
The county is happy to help Habitat because, even beyond filling the great housing void left by Katrina, it sees an opportunity for the program to provide “serious revitalization” in many areas, Lagasse explains.
Gluth says Habitat’s post-hurricane efforts across the South should become much more visible soon. After two months of organizing, planning and shopping for land, the hammering and sawing, actually overseen by local affiliates, is about to begin in earnest. “Right now, we have roughly 100 lots that are secured” in Mississippi's storm-struck Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties, he says.
In addition to seeking more land, the group is looking for development partners from the private and government sectors and making arrangements to house the multitudes of out-of-area construction volunteers that will be needed to help build the homes.
When she’s not running down lots, McDonald is marketing Habitat’s plans to potential participants everywhere from chance meetings on the street to Citizens in Action forums.
“It’s not a give-away program,” she said in a presentation at one recent town hall meeting here in Kiln. “It’s a mortgage.” Applicants must have a down payment and an income that enables them to pay a mortgage on an interest-free loan. The must be willing to invest about 350 hours of “sweat equity,” either working on their own home or another Habitat project. And they must agree to live in the home for a specified period of time before selling it.
The average Habitat home in the United States costs about $60,000. Gluth said he expects the typical mortgage for a home built in Habitat’s post-hurricane blitz to be about $50,000. Most of the homes will be about 1,100 square feet with three bedrooms and one bathroom.
At the Kiln meeting, McDonald stressed that the home will be solid and attractive. “These are houses you wouldn’t mind having next door to you,” she said. “These are houses you would be happy to live in.”
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I'm going down to help out with the relief efforts on Jan. 12-16, 2006. It will be great to see how my efforts working down in a kitchen will help produce more results with this disaster relief. I pray for others who feel compelled to help, to actually pull some energy from there own life and put it to use where it is needed down in the gulf and in disaster areas. Check out some disaster relief organizations who you can help with. www.emergencycommunites.org
shaina gregory, Los Aneles, CA (Sent Jan 3, 2006 5:09:38 AM)
I get a bit frustrated with those embracing NIMBY. Trailers are not sufficient? Are you serious? Have you ever seen pictures or heard stories from third world countries? There are people who have never lived in something as nice as a trailer but still know how to live a happy purposeful life. There's more to life than having your own room and a big kitchen.
I completely agree with a statement a while back. What do we expect when we treat people like dogs, don't be surprised when someone gets bit. or something like that. I don't think people are biting because of the fact that they're living in a trailer. If so, well then quite frankly, get over it. But because of the way they are treated by neighbors who don't want them living by their homes. Of course, with such condesention like that, it'll make anyone bitter. What just because I don't live in a place as nice as yours, wear clothes that appeal to your eye, or smell good. Have these become standards of saying a simple hello or even worse an offer of help. Absolutely ridiculous. Just because our food doesn't taste good every night and we can't buy you gifts to bring over as a good neighbor gesture. I can though warm a cup of coffee to sit and chat for a while. I know how to talk. I know how to shake your hand. I was born from my mommas womb just the same way you were.
Jon Hull, Clevland TN (Sent Jan 3, 2006 12:39:00 PM)
i found the artical in news week and it totally outraged me:
Jan. 9, 2006 issue - As Katrina evacuees scrambled to find homes, whites were given incentives to rent in some places, while blacks were charged extra or politely turned away 66 percent of the time, according to a five-state report by the National Fair Housing Alliance. The group filed complaints against five complexes with the Department of Housing and Urban Development in December—and will likely file more this month. Its New Orleans affiliate, the Fair Housing Action Center, is also suing five online housing billboards for troubling posts. On katrinahousing.org, for example, offers for shelter have been extended to a "white American family" or "a white couple." Paul Wilson, the site's director, says he may now install a filter for those posts. "We're not trying to discriminate—just provide housing for those that need it."The complaints come as FEMA's Jan. 7 deadline for covering temporary housing costs fast approaches. Many of the 37,000 families in hotels and motels will soon need to find permanent homes. This month, HUD's launching a national ad campaign to encourage evacuees to report discrimination. "Because [the bias] is so subtle, it's extremely effective," says Shanna Smith, the alliance's president. And it's one more barrier for the homeless.
sarah canada (Sent Jan 3, 2006 4:34:39 PM)
The Discovery Channel just aired a special about the fault line in the pacific that is similar to the one that caused the tsunami last year. If the experts are correct, the pacific northwest is in danger of a similarly devastating event that may just grant Sam from Oregon his wish. Take a ride down here Sam and you'll get a first-hand look at what your life could be like when, not if, the next "major disaster" strikes this country. When that "nice paying but boring job" you have disappears because the city you work in is GONE (as is the city next to it where you live), and when that mortgage payment is due on the slab where your house WAS, I'll be more than happy to listen to your wise-ass remarks.
Pam, Bay St. Louis, MS (Sent Jan 4, 2006 12:19:06 AM)
Do you have building materials to donate, heavy equiptment, or fleet delivery trucks? Hancock County Missippi EOC (Emergency Operations Center) www.hancockeoc.com or call 1.228.466.8200 and ask for Joe Williams or Bryan Adams
Bryan, Waveland, MS (Sent Jan 6, 2006 9:26:59 PM)
These messages are a fascinating read. The collage of opinions is loaded with conflict and love and insight and ignorance, just like the collage of human beings that make up this country. From the resentment regarding handouts to the commitment to help our fellowman, we obviously have axiomatic issues to resolve. But meanwhile, one by one, if each of us tries to live the way we think others should live, and each of us tries to solve the problem however we see it, then step by step we will find our ways to a place of common ground. I salute every one of you for expressing yourselves. And look forward to meeting you on that common ground.
Darlene Bridge Lofgren, Huntsville, Texas (Sent Jan 7, 2006 3:37:27 PM)
I pray for all that is down here in the aftermath cleanup .. My brother is one of them ... and for the people the .. God is with you .. and prayers from my family to yours .. May God bless everyone with the strength and health to be able to do this ,
GOD BLESS YOU ALL
Fran Manila Arkansas (Sent Jan 8, 2006 2:48:28 AM)
Can someone get me the email address for Wendy McDonald and or the company responsible for rebuilding houses. Mine is in Slidell, La. I need help. Thanks, Shirley
Shirley Culbreath Slidell, La (Sent Jan 8, 2006 12:29:48 PM)
Thats the way to tell it Pam!! But Sam will not only have to deal with an overdue tsunami, but a overdue to erupt Mt. Rainier. See Sam, shelter is one of the basic nessesities humans (and i'll even put you in that catagory) need to survive. You had better be super carful on what you say and critisize. You can be next. HFH screens people for a whole bunch of reasons and qualification. Sounds to me that if you needed one, you'd be turned down.
Hugh W. Sterling VA (Sent Jan 10, 2006 9:20:57 AM)
We have since moved to Oklahoma City from Waveland Ms. after the Hurricane hit. I have been trying to buy a house for years and we may actually get one. The local Habitat Chapter here in Oklahoma is considering us for the program. Habitat has been wonderful to us and hopefully we will get to help build our new house. We have been to the application meeting and my husband has just gotten another job, he was fired from his first one EVEN though they knew he was DISPLACED due to Katrina, and was given permission to go to MS to shovel threw what
was left.
We were lucky, got one picture book and a half a truck load of "nick-nacks"........a whole lot more than we expected. Sometimes I wish I wouldn't of found anything, everytime I look at any of it I know the most important was not there, my mother's ashes and my three dogs:( I coudn't live there I cryed the last time I drove up 603 away from my home. I respect and admire the people of my hometown who have stayed they are strong. Having given birth two weeks before Katrina hit and the loss of my mother suddenly in April I just couldn't do it.
chanel alaniz-white (Sent Jan 12, 2006 11:00:59 PM)
everyone that i was involved with working with with Habitat were good hard working people....{except for a lawyer....i still ain't sure about him??}.....Great orgainizion....BUILD BACK OUR COAST....THANKS
andy,ms (Sent Jan 14, 2006 11:07:37 PM)
Hello, my name is Larry Gongaware, I am the Chief Sales Officer for Morgan Willows development out of Fernley Nevada. I am doing a little research on the need of our product line of full scale luxury homes in New Orleans. Morgan Willows Homes is a self efficient, self reliant home manufacturing project that can literally built a two story stick built home in a matter of 7 days. At a fraction of cost and time it takes a average development company in today’s world it will save the consumer a ton of money and time. Its the new revolution to home development. It is what automation did for the automobile industry and is now doing for the home industry. We market development companies, private builders or average Joes who just wants a luxury home. for more details and interest feel free to email me and I will send you a full scale video of opportunity.
Sincerely,
Larry Gongaware
CSO
Larry Gongaware (Sent Jan 16, 2006 10:48:45 PM)
I am willing to volunter my services as a Professional Community Planner, if I knew who to contact? I have contacted FEMA but received no response.
Mike Kear (Sent Feb 1, 2006 9:56:46 AM)
Habitat for Humanity: This is indeed a beautifull effort by so many Americans/foreigners to bring housing to Karina and other victems. This is a good time for all(whites,blacks,hispanics,asian,poles,germans,europeans) to get off the well fair payrolls and help themselves to a better life for themselves and their children. Come on folks, the government dose't OWN you NOTHING,NADA,ZILTS!! My wife and I bought a condo in Slidell in 7/2005. We got water damage, We lost some stuff. But like so many others, only GOD can take away the pride,self esteem,self respect and determination to move forward and re-build. Stop the belly aching about complaining about jobs not been avaiable. Everywhere I go in Miss or LA, there are Help Wanted signs everwhere. Get off your lazy butts and help clean and re-build your homes and cities. I was a very well paid IT professional. I'll work at anything just to get off my butt and contribute to rebuild this great area again.
Arnold P Salinas (Sent Feb 10, 2006 10:54:33 AM)
I am so sick of hearing about black and white. Why is it always discrimination against blacks and never whites? Oprah Winfrey just built a whole subdivision in Houston and not one white family in the bunch. To make it worse, she is from Mississippi and sure hasn't helped anyone here. Get over it people. Everyone needs a hand now and then, black or white. The hurricane sure didn't pick out only poor black people. Habitat for Humanity does great work and I'm sure they will help who needs it the most, and be totally color blind.
Marybeth Gex Denney, Waveland, Mississippi (Sent Feb 23, 2006 9:28:13 PM)
Hello,
My name is Larry Gongaware and I am the Chief Sales Officer for Morgan Willows Homes based in Fernley Nevada. I am doing a little research in regards to the need of our product line of panelized walls for new construction homes. You design and we will accommodate, that’s the motto. Morgan Willows Homes is a self efficient and self reliant home manufacturing company. We can literally build a two story stick built home in a matter of days, not months. It takes approximately 3 hours to stand the walls on their site. This is a fraction of what a development company or builder in today’s market is doing “the old fashion way“. It will save the consumer money and time, and help control the cost for the builders. It also eliminates the 15% of on-site waste. We guarantee on-time 24 hr delivery on all of our panelized walls. It’s a win-win situation. This is the new revolution for home development and building. Automation is now doing for the home industry what it did for the automobile industry. We pride ourselves on marketing by networking with Development Companies, Builders, or “average Joes” who just want a home. For more details feel free to email me at ldgongaware@hotmail.com. There is a great deal of opportunity for everyone.
Sincerely,
Larry Gongaware, CSO
Larry Gongaware, Fernley, Nevada (Sent Feb 24, 2006 12:23:38 PM)
This is to Ms. Marybeth Gex Denney of Waveland Mississippi. I am one of the people that BOUGHT one of the Habitat built homes in the subdivision in Houston Texas, and we do have white families in our newly built neighborhood. Unlike you, I know of what I speak. It is misinformed people like yourself, that spew misinformed thoughts, that cause ill feelings in society. Next time, make sure you really know BEFORE you make false comments and misinform everyone else. Those of us actually living in our neighborhood would really appreciate it! Oh, and one more thing...OPRAH did NOT build these homes, we, the homeowners did along with hundreds of volunteers! Like I said, get it right or please don't say anything!
Angel Lane Homeowner, Houston, TX (Sent Aug 11, 2006 1:59:27 PM)
hi my name is anna i went through the hurricane katrina. with my elder mother . we lost my dad one month before the hurricane .Then 2weeks later my mom at 65 had 2to have surgery on her shoulder.So my mom couldnt leave for the hurricane. So we were in her house in slidell la.we were flooded at 8:30 am .so we went into a eighteen wheeler container and rode out the rest of the hurricane .It was very scary but we made it. It took us a week to leave this area with the gas problem .But i got her to my brothers house in north carlolina i came back home to fix my house and hers to . It took me almost 2 years to try and get her back home ! she still isnt home yet she is still in north carlina .this is the 3rd time she has lost everything ! my mom and dad have raised 6 kids in that house .my dad pasted away in that house . It means alot to my mom !! But i have to get raised before she can come home. Because she is getting to old to keep rebuilding .It is hard but if you want something bad enough you will work for it !!! trust me it hasnt been easy !! but anything worth haveing is worth working for !! So if anybody no someone to raise a home please write to me . I will take out a loan just so i no my mom want ever flooded again !! So she will be safe and not loss everything they worked for 38 years. I am not asking for any hand outs. I am just looking to get my mom home and safe !! Her and my kids are all i got ! I worry about her Being up their by her self . My brother is up their but he travels alot with his job .But like i said i am not looking for a handout. I managed to fix her house and mine. but i still have to get it raised . And i need someone that want take advantage of a old lady or a single mom. thank you if you could help please write to me
anna evans 22 dove ridge carriere mississippi (Sent Jan 6, 2008 11:31:41 AM)
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