Safe and Affordable Housing

Finding safe and affordable housing is a challenge that faces many in our nation. Those who lack the resources to afford safe housing are forced to reside in substandard housing, which creates one or more safety hazards for its occupants. Current nationwide statistics indicate that 35 million homes place their occupants at risk.

The National Center for Healthy Housing completes an annual survey that attempts to diagnose housing by determining a dwelling’s health based on twenty key factors in a home that influence an occupant’s wellbeing. These include pest infestations, structural damage, and appliance safety concerns. Many of these factors are key contributors to infectious diseases, asthma, allergies, accidents in the home, and even deaths. The Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) of the US Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) estimated in 2009 that 21% of asthma cases in the United States arise from dampness and mold indoors.

Ashe County Habitat for Humanity works hard to combat substandard and unaffordable housing in our community.  We not only build homes – we build communities.  We foster communities of volunteers, donors and sponsors, and most importantly, a thriving community of homeowners.