Project Description
Habitat and Hope Village (HHV) originally proposed a 20 unit cabin village to house 20 homeless villagers. After conferring with the Marion County Public Works and Planning Departments our design was adjusted down to a single family dwelling for up to five unrelated persons in the Acreage Residential Zone. This would be transitional housing to move people from homelessness by providing housing while they address those barriers that may have prohibited their access to traditional housing. This will be an all women facility.

Estimated Cost of Project
The cost analysis currently for this building project is approximately $172,000. We will have an updated cost analysis prepared for the May 2019 board meeting . This square foot price is based on bonded and licensed contractors doing the structure framing, electric, plumbing, insulation and drywall. We would use volunteer labor for finish work such as installation of cabinets, painting wall surfaces, flooring, installation of appliances and lighting fixtures. The property will be secured by a fence and will be a gated community.

Currently no outlay of cash has been required to obtain the information we have needed. But we are now at a point where in order to move forward there will be an outlay of cash required. An assessment and permit approval from the county must be done to determine if a viable sewer septic system is possible for the property. The cost for an assessment will be $625 and the permit will range from $750 to $1200 depending on system requirements. We continue to investigate the water table levels for the north parking lot to gain an idea of what expect for well depth and associated costs.

Financing and Fund Raising
Since this project is intended as a community service for homeless people, we plan on approaching Marion County Commissioners to ask if some of the fees can be waved in the building process, to ask Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency to help in grant writing and ARCHES for case management. We will evaluate attaching Section 8 Vouchers directly to the property. This means the Voucher stays with the property not with the person. This would help to subsidize the utilities. (Note: The property is in Marion County and so City of Salem funding is not available to us.)

Hope & Habitat Village is a 501 c(3) organization. Therefore, they can accept charitable donations. UUCS members who want to support this effort can send a check made out to Hope & Habitat Village to the UUCS office. (Making out the check directly to HHV eliminates some effort and delay involved when donations are passed through the UUCS books.) HHV is also building relationships with other organizations to secure additional funding.

Facility Operation
Where building is a one time major expense, ongoing facility operation and maintenance is a yearly expense. ARCHES will create a list of clients within the given VI-SPADAT range (1-6) and then HHV will screen clients for a 30 day trial period. HHV along with ARCHES will develop custom programs around the needs of the individual to reduce the barriers to moving into traditional housing. UUCS and HHV will need to develop ongoing funding and volunteer resources to make this program work.

Conclusion
HHV asks the UUCS Congregation and the UU BOD’s for approval to proceed with the investigation into this homeless project with the UUCS’s intent of building a five person residential/transitional community on the north parking lot.

Current officers of the Habitat and Hope Village are President, Patty Davenport; Vice President, John Davenport; Secretary, Margarethe Gregg; and Treasurer: Larry Nasset. 

Website: Habitatandhopevillage.org