Campbell County Habitat for Humanity to share in $500,000 THDA grant

LaFollette, Tenn.  – Campbell County Habitat for Humanity today announced it will receive $15,500.00 in grant funding by Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee to build a new home in LaFollette.

The funding comes as part of a $500,000 grant from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA). Campbell County Habitat for Humanity and its sister organizations throughout the state will apply the grant toward the construction of 30 new homes for qualified first-time homebuyers.

“The grant provided will be applied to the home we are building which in turn allows us to keep the cost down for our new homeowner.  It also allows us access to funds which can be immediately used to work on more affordable housing for those who are in need in our community.” Said Campbell County Habitat for Humanity’s President, Zach Sheets

THDA allocates the funds to Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee, and local Habitat chapters could apply for $15,500 per home build. When construction is complete in June 2020, more than 100 children and adults will be living in affordable, energy-efficient homes built in part from this funding.

THDA is a strong statewide partner helping us make homeownership a reality for more Tennesseans,” said Colleen Dudley, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee. “This grant provides us with a solid foundation to spur our larger fundraising efforts, which will reach over $4 million from individuals, churches, foundations and businesses to complete these builds.”

Funding for the grant came from the Tennessee Housing Trust Fund (THTF) which receives no state tax dollars but is instead funded by revenue from THDA’s mortgage loan program. Since 2006, THDA has provided more than $75 million in THTF grants.

“We share Habitat’s mission and its passion for creating new homeownership opportunities for Tennessee families, so it’s a very natural partnership,” said THDA Executive Director Ralph M. Perrey. “We’re always confident that Habitat is going to put our funding to good use, and I’m sure more than a few THDA staffers will be among the volunteers at build sites across the state.”

In addition to supporting Habitat for Humanity with grant funding, THDA also provides zero-interest home loans to qualified Habitat homeowners. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage that, in turn, helps fund future Habitat builds.

Habitat for Humanity is propelled by a vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat for Humanity began in Tennessee in 1978 when Appalachia Habitat was created serving Scott and Morgan counties. The Christian housing organization has grown over the past 41 years to include 40 affiliates that serve 65 counties. Tennessee is ranked the 4^th largest builder of Habitat for Humanity homes in the country. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit HabitatTN.org.

The Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) is Tennessee’s housing finance agency, created by the General Assembly in 1973. THDA was created to promote the production of more affordable new housing units for very low, low and moderate income individuals and families in the state, to promote the preservation and rehabilitation of existing housing units for such persons, and to bring greater stability to the residential construction industry and related industries so as to assure a steady flow of production of new housing units. For more information, visit THDA.org.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/18/2020-2PM)