Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Pitching In: Jessica Lopez, 17, works on one of the four new homes being built on Campbell Avenue by Habitat for Humanity. Lopez and her family qualified last year for the home and she is putting some "sweat equity" into the home's construction.
Habitat for Humanity agency partners with city on project
By Moryt Milo
More than 50 volunteers picked up hammers, set floor joists and installed underfloor insulation at the latest Silicon Valley Habitat for Humanity project, on the corners of Campbell and Victor avenues, on Jan. 12.
The four-home development is the second Habitat project being developed in Campbell. The first major project, a two-home development on Grant Avenue was completed in March 2000. Habitat completed a smaller project in Campbell, renovating and enlarging a home, in 1996.
The Victor Avenue property, a longstanding vacant lot owned by the city of Campbell for more than 35 years, was sold to Habitat for $1.05 million, with the proceeds of the sale going to the renovation of the Heritage Theatre. The project began when the property was fenced off on Nov. 14.
Project supervisor Patrick Hamm, 65, worked on 16 of the last 19 Habitat projects in the Bay Area. The homes being built at the Victor Avenue location are 1,400 square feet, single story, four bedroom, two bath homes, with a utility room, Hamm said.
The homes will be priced between $125,000 and $150,000, with an open market value of between $700,000 and $800,000, Hamm said.
Hamm, a former Navy Seabee--part of the Navy's construction battalion--said that 10 years ago he had some time and helped Habitat build four homes in Alviso. He got hooked and has been involved with Habitat ever since, supervising 10 projects.
Hamm estimates it will take seven to eight months to complete the project, but says that volunteers will take their time and make sure everything is done right. As long as the weather cooperates, crews will be working Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Many of the volunteers are retired and have a "real passion for working with Habitat," said Bill Arnopp, executive director of Silicon Valley Habitat for Humanity.
On Jan. 12, a group of 40 Stanford Business School students came out for the school's Community Impact Day.
Stanford student Sean Arnold, 28, said, "We got hooked up with Silicon Valley Habitat and came out to saw wood, hammer nails, and have a good time."
Others like Jim Stimmell, 51, who lives only a few blocks from the project, said, "It seems like a good thing to do."
Westmont High School sophomore Coreen Blakely,16, turned out to help at Habitat, to fulfill part of her high school requirements for community service, and said this was her first time doing construction work but she was excited about participating.
Although project volunteers see affordable housing as an important community need, neighbors living around the project have mixed feelings about the city's decision to sell the land to Habitat.
Asgar Padash, 44, who lives adjacent to the Habitat project on Victor Avenue, said, "I have no problem with the homes that are being constructed."
But another resident, who has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years, said she was concerned about too many cars and the additional traffic after the project is completed.
David Ahn, 49, a former Habitat board member and chair of the site acquisition committee, who was volunteering on Saturday said, "Campbell is the first city to partner with Silicon Valley Habitat for Humanity. They have identified land suitable for us and through their redevelopment agency have helped us provide affordable housing."
Hamm said Campbell is the only city to commit to helping Habitat find land and encourage the development of affordable housing.
For more information on volunteering for Silicon Valley Habitat for Humanity projects, call 408.294.6464 or go to www.habitatsanjose.org.
Campbell, California
