Housekeeping project

Self-Help Housing Of the projects, she said, the one that is consuming the most time right now is Self-Help Housing. The program is one that helps families build their own homes by putting forth "sweat equity" instead of a mortgage or down payment. By putting in 30 hours of labor per week in the construction of the homes, the families obtain the "sweat equity." Currently, Hunter said, they are constructing three houses for the program, and they have dug all of the basements and are doing the concrete, work which is actually subcontracted out. "The families are not working yet," Hunter said. "The families won't work until the framing is done." For now, Hunter said, they are also working on building up the next group of five families, which will allow for the eight homes for which the grant allowed. Hunter also added they would probably begin writing another grant before all eight of the slots are filled. "So we'll rewrite probably before the first of the year," Hunter said. "So, hopefully, that will just be a continuous program." "It's a very exciting program," she added. "It will benefit the community and, again, we're just in the beginning phases of it. These are our first three houses and we're excited."