ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2Now.com)—
The rain did not deter volunteers eager to help restore a North City neighborhood. It's an effort that will make dreams come true for 17 families. Each swing of a hammer brings a low to moderate income family that much closer to a home they will own.Prospective Homeowner DeBora McKenzie said, "I've never had a home and this will be exciting for me."
Debora McKenzie, a home health care aide, and others celebrated the launching of the newest home building effort sponsored by Habitat for Humanity St. Louis. This time in the old North St. Louis neighborhood near Crown Candy.
These Habitat homeowners in the Jeff Vanderlou neighborhood enjoyed heating bills last month as low as $40 to $45 dollars. A measure of just how efficient this construction is becoming. In fact, the St. Louis Habitat group won a national Home Depot competition for building energy efficient homes.
"The goal of this national partnership is to prove that green building techniques are a practical way to save money while living in a higher quality home ."said Fred Wacker of the Home Depot Foundation.
One of the newest "green" products is a pre-built insulated concrete foundation slab. They hauled to the work site and then bolted together and caulked. Not only will the mortgage be affordable but living in these homes will be too.
