Sunday, September 05, 2010
Habitat For Humanity Garnering Criticism
WEST VIRGINIA...
Jean Burnworth and Heather Mottesheard of Clarksburg are criticizing Habitat for Humanity of Harrison County for building two homes on Oak Street in a once vacant lot next to their own homes.
One of the houses has been vacant for years, Burnworth said. A second house is being built on an adjacent lot without anyone yet chosen to live in it. Burnworth says that violates Habitat's regulations.
Lora Pierce, director of Habitat for Humanity for West Virginia, said her office in Charleston is a "support organization" for Habitat for Humanity in West Virginia.
Pierce said she could not comment on the specific situation in Harrison County.
"We have no regulatory or compliance authority. We provide training and advocacy and awareness and outreach. We have 20 affiliates in West Virginia and 10 have all-volunteer boards," Pierce said.
Jim Hunt, a councilman and former mayor of Clarksburg, is vice president of Habitat for Humanity in Harrison County. Hunt believes his group did nothing wrong.
"Several years ago, a lady donated a dilapidated piece of property to us that was filled with asbestos and rodents. The house was a liability that had to be demolished. Habitat spent its funds to demolish the property and clean it up."
To build homes, Habitat's Harrison County chapter often uses students in the Human Resource Development Foundation, which oversees Youthbuild Programs funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
"It looks like a project for their programs," Burnworth said, referring to Mon Youthbuild and Stanley Technical Institute.
Working with the West Virginia AFL-CIO, Mon Youthbuild trains people between the ages 18 and 24, who have dropped out of high school.
"The AFL-CIO has a training center within walking distance of this site," Hunt said. "The program trains young people who did a good portion of the construction work on the first house. We also use volunteers."
Burnworth said, "No one has lived there for four years and now they are building a second house nobody wants."
Jean Burnworth and Heather Mottesheard of Clarksburg are criticizing Habitat for Humanity of Harrison County for building two homes on Oak Street in a once vacant lot next to their own homes.
One of the houses has been vacant for years, Burnworth said. A second house is being built on an adjacent lot without anyone yet chosen to live in it. Burnworth says that violates Habitat's regulations.
Lora Pierce, director of Habitat for Humanity for West Virginia, said her office in Charleston is a "support organization" for Habitat for Humanity in West Virginia.
Pierce said she could not comment on the specific situation in Harrison County.
"We have no regulatory or compliance authority. We provide training and advocacy and awareness and outreach. We have 20 affiliates in West Virginia and 10 have all-volunteer boards," Pierce said.
Jim Hunt, a councilman and former mayor of Clarksburg, is vice president of Habitat for Humanity in Harrison County. Hunt believes his group did nothing wrong.
"Several years ago, a lady donated a dilapidated piece of property to us that was filled with asbestos and rodents. The house was a liability that had to be demolished. Habitat spent its funds to demolish the property and clean it up."
To build homes, Habitat's Harrison County chapter often uses students in the Human Resource Development Foundation, which oversees Youthbuild Programs funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
"It looks like a project for their programs," Burnworth said, referring to Mon Youthbuild and Stanley Technical Institute.
Working with the West Virginia AFL-CIO, Mon Youthbuild trains people between the ages 18 and 24, who have dropped out of high school.
"The AFL-CIO has a training center within walking distance of this site," Hunt said. "The program trains young people who did a good portion of the construction work on the first house. We also use volunteers."
Burnworth said, "No one has lived there for four years and now they are building a second house nobody wants."
# posted by Homer Owens @ 7:02 AM 
