Benton Habitat for Humanity Endowment Fund benefits residents of Benton County, Oregon
Benton Habitat for Humanity, an affiliate of the international Habitat for Humanity® ecumenical ministry, is a nonprofit organization that builds and renovates houses in partnership with hard-working, low-income families. Benton Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1991 through the efforts of several local churches that came together to address the need for affordable housing in Corvallis and Benton County.
Early presidents of the board of directors included Janet Nielsen, Bud Fredericks, Wayne Stover, Lupe Maginnis, Jerry Burd, and Elaine Sutherland. The first home was built on Stone Street in south Corvallis and was completed in 1992. By December 2008, the group had built 22 new homes and renovated three existing structures. The projects are located in Corvallis, Alsea, Philomath, and Lewisburg. In addition, Benton Habitat for Humanity tithes 10 percent of its unsolicited donations to the international Habitat for Humanity organization, which has resulted in the construction of another 32 houses overseas.
In the early days, Benton Habitat for Humanity was working on a “house by house” basis. In-kind and monetary donations were solicited and a home was built only when enough money was collected. Beginning in 2003, through the efforts of a core group of people that included Cindy Mitchell, Dick Cronk, Tom Elliott, Brad Smith, Ed Putman, George Keller, Carol Kronstad, and Marge Dennis, the board began to move toward a more sustainable operating model. To provide an ongoing income source, they opened a Habitat ReStore in 2004—one of more than 300 that operate nationwide. The store accepts donations of reusable building materials, fixtures, appliances, and other household goods, and proceeds from donated items support the homebuilding mission. As a fixed-cost operation, the more income the store generates, the more the community benefits. Since its founding, the store has grown at an annual rate of eight to 10 percent and grossed sales of $270,000 by 2008.
Mitchell, who was a board member and later executive director, led a huge, five-year grant-writing effort that made it possible to purchase land and buildings on 9th Street in Corvallis, where the ReStore is located. The purchase reduced the annual operating costs and also provided office space and rental income to support the home-building mission.
Seventy to 80 percent of Benton Habitat for Humanity’s operation is run by volunteers. An executive director, a part-time office manager, and the equivalent of three full-time positions at the Habitat ReStore are paid, but everything else is done by volunteers. The organization is led by 12 to 18 volunteer board members. Families receive a zero percent mortgage loan, which is repaid to Benton Habitat for Humanity and helps to finance future homes. All partner families are expected to provide 500 hours of “sweat equity” to build their own or other Benton Habitat homes.
In 2005, David and Jean Kliewer donated 3.13 acres of land in northwest Corvallis to Benton Habitat for Humanity. Located west of N.W. Highland Drive, the subdivision has been named Hilltop Village and will be parceled into 18 lots. Twelve of those lots will be used for constructing homes with Benton Habitat partner families, and the remaining six lots will be sold to help finance infrastructure construction. Hilltop Village will be a low-density, mixed-income neighborhood. It is close to urban amenities such shopping, schools, and community services and also enjoys attractive natural features, including Forest Dell Park, several smaller parks and walking paths, and a gentle southeastern hillside with building lots positioned for solar orientation. The Benton Habitat homes on the site will remain affordable in perpetuity through a buy-back mechanism that shares equity between the homeowner and Benton Habitat. Benton Habitat will buy back all homes and sell them to another qualified family.