To the editor:

It’s 2019, and Brown County’s Habitat for Humanity affiliate is looking for property to build another Habitat House in Brown County.

Brown County Habitat for Humanity believes in helping people help themselves. Home ownership is a crucial foundation for helping people out of poverty. We build houses, and we build opportunities for people to have strong community connections and for children to grow up in safe, stable and happy homes.

However, Habitat for Humanity doesn’t build houses for free; partner families pay a mortgage at 0 percent interest, making a home much more affordable. In addition, homeowners pay into an escrow account to cover their annual property taxes and homeowners’ insurance.

Currently, we have 15 partner families with no-interest loans through Brown County Indiana Habitat for Humanity. As partner families pay their monthly interest-free mortgages, this money goes into an account that can then be used to help build the next house. Finally, partner families truly partner with Habitat for Humanity when they commit to spending up to 250 volunteer hours working on their own homes and the homes of others as we build for the next Habitat family.

We are ready to build another house in 2019, but we need property. A lot for a Habitat house must be buildable with city or county water available, and it cannot be in a floodplain. We are looking for land that can be a donation, a partial donation or a purchase. A gift or partial gift of land can be tax-deductible. If anyone in the community is aware of land that might meet our needs, please contact Brenda at the Brown County Habitat for Humanity office at 812-988-4926 or email us at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Brenda Krieger, office manager, Brown County Indiana Habitat for Humanity