A Home For 500 Hours Labour (10th July 2003)

Hard Work Buys Stake in Property
NEW affordable town houses are planned for Toxteth.

But people who want to buy one must pay an extra price – by rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into help build them.

Worldwide charity Habitat for Humanity describes the 500 hours of labour each household must invest as a “sweat equity”.

It has submitted a planning application to build up to 32 new three and four-bedroom wood-framed houses on land donated by the Catholic church.

Each home will cost $40-45,000 to build, with the sum being found in advance from trusts, foundations, sponsorship and donations of money, time and materials.

An open evening has been held for the community to see plans for the two-acre site next to St Bernard’s church in Kingsley Road.

Marie Kearney of the Liverpool project said: “The scheme is aimed at low-income families in employment.

“They help to build their own and neighbours’ homes, which is their deposit. Then they have a 100% interest-free mortgage which the pay back over 20 to 25 years.”

Repayments then fund more properties.

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian housing charity set up in America in 1976. Since then it has built 125,000 houses world-wide, including nine in London and 20 in Northern Ireland.

Tom Price, the charity’s Western Europe communications director, based in Liverpool, said: “It’s not just the homeowner. We’d like to get as many people as possible from the local community to volunteer, including young people.

“We’re hoping project like ours can help transform the area back to what it was.”

The initiative, which has to meet stringent building regulations, has been welcomed.

Flo Clucas, executive member for housing, said: “It means people can be actively involved in building their own homes and can learn all sorts of skills.

“It’s also providing a way for companies to give something back to the community through donations of material.”

Cllr Ros Gladden, Labour’s housing spokeswoman said: “It sounds like a great concept.”

If the plans are approved, workers could be on site in January. For information call 0151 291 3665.

Article by: Catherine Jones – Social Affairs Reporter – Liverpool ECHO