Volunteers being invited to help build affordable houses for Greensburg-area residents affected by the 2007 tornado

WICHITA, Kan. — United Way of the Plains hosted a news conference with Mennonite Housing and USDA Rural Development today to announce more details of an affordable housing assistance program for Greensburg-area residents affected by the May 4, 2007, tornado. The program’s goal is to construct 20 new houses beginning in April with the first 10 houses ready for families to move into by mid-July 2008.

The houses will be valued at $100,000, but the program hopes to reduce the cost to $40,000 through volunteer labor and donated or discounted materials. Eligible applicants can also receive loan assistance based on income—making interest rates as low as 1 percent to 3 percent.

Mennonite Housing is inviting skilled and unskilled volunteers to help build the houses to reduce the overall cost to the residents.

“If enough volunteers come forward, we could move the families in even sooner than July,” said Andy Bias, president and CEO of Mennonite Housing. “The more laborers we have, the sooner the moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, children, and family pets of Greensburg will once again have a place to call home.”

The houses will have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full basement with safe room and a two-car garage. In an effort to continue the “green” theme for Greensburg, the houses have increased efficiencies in materials and appliances, a R38 insulation value, thermal pane windows with LoE glass filled with argon gas for lower utility costs.

Program partners include Mennonite Housing, United Way of the Plains, USDA Rural Development, Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka and others.

United Way of the Plains is using funds from the Green For Greensburg Fund to support this housing program. The fund was a coordinated effort among United Ways across Kansas to provide long-term assistance to Greensburg-area residents.