Habitat for Humanity of Denton County to build subdivision, applications accepted soon

It is a first-of-its-kind project for Habitat for Humanity of Denton County.

Low-to-moderate income families will soon be able to apply to qualify for one of 35 affordable houses located in a single subdivision called Habitat Village.

The 8-acre development project along Duncan Street in Southeast Denton will break ground on Friday.

Board president of Habitat for Humanity of Denton County Brian Strohl says it has taken four years for the project to go through the approval process.

The goal is to help combat rising homelessness in the area and a shortage of affordable housing.

"The traditional Habitat pace of building one home at a time is simply not keeping up with the community’s growing need," said Strohl.

"When you build cross-county, it’s hard to support each other, but when they’re next to each other, when things happen, you have a cluster of 35 families helping each other out. They’re neighbors," Strohl said. "We’re looking to serve a greater need by opening a larger subdivision and building two, three, four, even five houses at a time."

The homes, like all Habitat homes, are built by volunteers alongside the families who will own them.

Families will choose from six floor plans and three different elevations.

Selected homeowners place down payments of $1,000 and have 30-year mortgages that are interest-free, according to Habitat.

"We’re going to open up applications for a lot of families and be able to serve multiple families," said Strohl. "We’ll be able to do one [house] a month, hopefully."

The concept has already been created in Dallas and Tarrant Counties and has proven to be successful, he said.

"We find that when you do this, they keep up with their neighborhoods," said Strohl. "Habitat neighborhoods I’ve served at before, they keep their grass cut, the houses are clean and neat. There’s pride in it."

The first phase of the project is approximately $2 million, $1 million of which has already been raised by the nonprofit.

Each house will cost $160,000 to build, according to Habitat.

The organization is receiving help from the community to make Habitat Village a reality.

The Greater Denton/Wise County Association of Realtors is expected to raise enough funds to pay for the first home to be built.

"Affordability in housing matters and we wanted to do something big," said Tori Wilson of the association.

The group has held several events called Party with a Purpose Groundbreaking Celebration to help meet the $160,000 building cost.

A fourth fundraising party will be held Friday, April 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Marty B’s.

Ratliff Hardscape of Lewisville has offered to install infrastructure on the property [dirt, pipe, and paving] ‘at cost.’

"We’ve been blessed as a company over the last couple years in this economy we’ve been in and we just want to give back to the greater people of Denton County," said Booder McWhorter, President and COO of Ratliff Hardscape.

Levatta Crawford became a first-time homeowner thanks to Habitat for Humanity Denton County almost two years ago.

The single mother of five had been living in a small apartment in Sanger with her small children.

She and her son would take turns sleeping on the couch because there were not enough rooms.

He now has his own room in her four-bedroom home near the future Habitat Village subdivision.

She says becoming a Habitat family has improved her family’s quality of life, including her kids’ performance at school.

She is excited for the 35 families who will soon call each other neighbors.

"I think it’s amazing that hardworking people like myself will be able to apply, partner with Habitat and get the same blessing that I have," she said.

Applications will be accepted for one month beginning May 1.

To learn about the qualifications to become a homeowner through Habitat for Humanity of Denton County, click here.