We are grateful to have friends like you, whose caring and compassion make a difference to local families in urgent need of safe, decent, affordable housing.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season from
Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County!
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| Win a Playhouse for Christmas
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See the first annual Holiday Playhouse on display at Paseo Nuevo Mall until December 20th and buy a raffle ticket! Raffle tickets can be purchased from mall merchants for $10 and all proceeds from ticket sales will help fund Habitat for Humanity building projects in Santa Barbara. Get your raffle ticket at Ben & Jerry's, This Little Piggy Wears Cotton, lululemon, Sunglass Hut, Spirits & Stone, or The Walking Company.
Act soon, raffle tickets on sale until December 19, 2007.
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New Project to start in 2008
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As a loyal friend of Habitat we wanted to let you know that we are planning to start a new building project next year and look forward to seeing you on the job site. We will let you know the details as soon as site preparation starts. We appreciate your patience as we work to get the plans finalized and approved by the City. The good news is that we have secured $700,000 in HUD funding and have raised over 40% of our total project budget. But now, more than ever, we need your help to complete our fundraising efforts. Please consider making a gift to Habitat today. About San PascualHabitat for Humanity acquired a 6,970 square-foot vacant lot at 618 San Pascual Street with short-term loans provided by the Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County and the City of Santa Barbara. On this site, which is situated between a multi-family apartment complex and single family homes, we plan to build four two-bedroom units to serve 12 to 14 people, with one off-street parking space per unit. Construction will start in 2008. Design of the homes will be provided by noted local architect Detty Peikert, whose firm has collaborated on affordable housing projects in the Santa Barbara area.
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Family Selection
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Family selection for the homes on San Pascual will begin in February 2008. If you, or someone you know, would like to attend one of our public meetings to learn about the application process, check our website for locations and information. www.sbhabitat.org |
Family Selection Criteria
Habitat does not build houses for families; rather, we build alongside those who demonstrate need and the willingness to partner with us. All eligible families meet the following criteria: - They currently reside in deteriorated, unsafe or overcrowded conditions
- They have a total family income between 40% and 60% of area median income (less than $40,000 for a family of four)
- They are able to make monthly mortgage payments designed to fit within 35% of the family's income
- Each adult family member commits to investing 250 hours of their own "sweat equity" labor into the houses.
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| Reuse-Renew-Recycle-ReStore
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Need doors or windows for that remodel? Check out the ReStore!
The ReStore is a building materials warehouse which sells new and used building materials at affordable prices. All items sold at the ReStore are donated. Proceeds from the ReStore are used to fund the construction of Habitat homes for low-income families. The ReStore also helps our environment by reducing the amount of material that goes into local landfills. Habitat for Humanity is committed to sustainability and being environmentally friendly. In our design and building practices we have a strong emphasis on energy conservation, following green building guidelines. In our last project, over 15% of the materials used were recycled from donations to the ReStore! Learn how YOU can get get bargains from the ReStore.
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| Donor Spotlight
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For the fourth year in a row, Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County was awarded $10,000 from Montecito Bank & Trust. Habitat for Humanity was among over 100 recipients of Community Dividends Awards handed out last month. Bank founder Michael Towbes, in his comments at the awards ceremony, reiterated his commitment to supporting the work of local non-profit agencies. Thank you Montecito Bank & Trust!
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| Jimmy Carter Work Project
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 Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County participated in Habitat for Humanity International's 24th annual Jimmy Carter Work Project by sponsoring a local work crew to help build houses in Los Angeles.
 Habitat for Humanity's Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) is an annual event in which the former U.S. president and his wife, Rosalynn, join Habitat volunteers for one week to build simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with people in need of both housing and hope. This year's JCWP took place from Oct. 28 - Nov. 2 in south Los Angeles and San Pedro where thousands of volunteers gathered to build 46 new homes. |
| Get Involved
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In Santa Barbara, one of the nation's most beautiful and affluent communities, hundreds of families live in unhealthy, overcrowded conditions due to the lack of affordable housing. And while many of us take for granted having shelter and a safe place to sleep, many children here long for food, beds and a place to call home. With your help, Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County is making a difference in the lives of local families. Thank you!
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Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a non-profit charity that builds homes for low to very low income families. It was founded in 2000 and serves the people of Southern Santa Barbara County. Habitat builds homes for sale to partner families with no-profit, zero-interest mortgages. Volunteers provide most of the labor, with individuals, churches and corporate donors providing the money and materials to build Habitat houses. Partner families themselves invest hundreds of hours of labor - called "sweat equity" - into building their homes and the homes of others. Their mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses. www.sbhabitat.org
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Congratulations
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Thersa Thornsberry
Volunteer of the Year
Thersa has served as the volunteer Treasurer and accountant for three years, providing excellent oversight of Habitat's financial records.
Thank you Thersa - for being such an outstanding volunteer!
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Tax Benefits this Season
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Transfer securities. Upon receipt, we sell your securities and use the proceeds to build more homes. For your generosity, donors pay no capital gains tax and receive an income tax deduction based on the fair market value! Act on the Pension Protection Act. This legislation gives donors aged 70 ½ and older an opportunity to direct $100,000 of lifetime distributions from their IRAs to nonprofit organizations without incurring income tax liability on the withdrawal. Act now! The act will only be in effect for the 2006 and 2007 tax years. Donate your vehicle. Contact Habitat's Cars for Homes program by calling 1.877.277.4344 or visiting www.carsforhomes.org. Please indicate that you want to support the Southern Santa Barbara affiliate.
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New Staff Member
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Angelique Davis
Director of Development
We are thrilled to welcome Angelique Davis to our staff as Director of Development. Previously a senior product marketing manager at Citrix Online, Angelique is a long-time Habitat for Humanity volunteer and former board member. |
| Support our efforts this holiday
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Did you know that Santa Barbara is one of the cities in the US with the the least affordable housing? With the median home price reaching over $1,000,000, the dream of homeownership is out of reach for many hardworking families. You can help! Your tax-deductible gift before the end of the year will help us build homes and hope for families in our community.
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500
The number of hours each family must contribute to building their home or the homes of others. |
38,571
The number of families in Santa Barbara County living below federal poverty level.
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About HabitatMailing Address: P.O. Box 176Goleta, CA 93116
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