Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Routt County Habitat for Humanity has officially closed on its first piece of property. The lot is located in Pioneer Village, a neighborhood near the cemetery on the west side of town.

The deal went through Wednesday, but now the real work begins, said Rev. Larry Oman.

"We need to raise the money for the materials in order to build the house this summer," said Oman, president of Habitat's board of directors.

Habitat has already received commitments for about 30 percent of the labor and material needed to build the home, but that's all they are right now commitments.

"Frankly, we have to go around to the people who promised us materials and confirm it," Oman said. "We also have to build a list of when the donated items are due."

Fortunately, Habitat was able to come up with $60,000 to buy the lot because of people and organizations such as the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. The foundation cut a $10,000 check.

"Clearly the community has identified affordable housing as an important issue," said Neera Harmon, program assistant for the foundation. "It's our job to act on behalf of our donors to recognize those urgent needs of the community."

The Community Foundation is a philanthropic organization that serves as a liaison between donors and the nonprofit groups in the community.

The foundation saw the Habitat project as a perfect fit.

But a foundation can do only so much. It takes volunteers to actually put the brick and mortar together.

The family to be chosen for Habitat's first Steamboat home were Neil and Beverly Marchman and their four children. Neil is a music teacher at Strawberry Park Elementary School and Beverly works for Steamboat Springs Ski and Resort Corp.

Like all Habitat families, the Marchmans will be required to put in sweat equity.

The home is sold to the family at cost or less than cost with a no interest loan.

Routt County Habitat for Humanity will be taking applications Feb. 1 to find a second family who would like to help build their own Habitat home.

Anyone interested in donating time or money to Habitat can call 879-1290 or 871-6101.