6 Families, 6 Keys and Now 6 New Homes!

Proud homeowner Dan Vierthaler, Sarah Harris, Cathy and Paul Vierthaler at the key ceremony for North Beach Gardens homeowners on April 15.

Homes for Islanders Builds  North Beach Gardens in Eastsound

On Friday April 15, 2011 Home for Islanders held a “Key and Dedication Ceremony” at the Orcas Center.

Six hardworking families built their own homes, starting 15 months ago. While working their regular day jobs, they also put in 35 hours required per week to build these homes as a community, with no breaks nor vacations. These families worked through rain, storms, hot sun and snow to build the new North Beach Gardens neighborhood, with the support of Homes For Islanders (HFI) a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

A lot of sleepless nights and determination were invested by these families to build their own homes, and in the process, they built a community too.

Orcas residents Renee Sturk, Nancy Brown, John Howard, Bonnie Mahoney, Dan Vierthaler and Antonio and Berenice Zapata, will move into their new homes at North Beach Gardens.

North Beach Gardens is the second HFI project on Orcas Island; the first project of eight homes in the [intlink id=”8628″ type=”post”]Rosario[/intlink] area was completed last May.

John Campbell, President of the Board and chief architect of Homes for Islanders, told the group of new homeowners and invited guest, “you’re here today and you made it happen.” Campbell  started HFI back in 2005 from a technical assistance grant to hire construction managers for the projects. At Friday’s event he expressed appreciation for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural development programs, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds, and the county’s “20-60 funds” which “have made a big difference to a few homeowners.”

Melanie Drexel, area director for USDA, applauded the newest HFI homeowners and said, “I’m proud to see the results — happy homeowners, happy children.” She added, “Working on homes for everybody at the same time takes cooperation.

“In the process of building homes, you have built a community where you learn  others’ likes and dislikes and some of their deepest secrets.”

To date the non-profit has built 39 homes on San Juan and Orcas Islands. They are presently working on 31 homes in Friday Harbor.

Of the 70 homes built by HFI thus far, only 14 have been erected on Orcas Island.  Surprisingly, Campbell said, Homes for Islanders does not have a waiting list here on Orcas Island. “We wonder: has everybody with any spunk got a home on Orcas now?” he asked.

Campbell encouraged anyone interested to sign up and call Ginny Beaudoin at 370-5944. The organization is also interested in purchasing land for a HFI project on Orcas. “The program is so cost-effective — it’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” Campbell said.

Bill Gendron, of the HFI Board of Directors, has been instrumental in providing the financial backing for the homeowners, Campbell said. “It’s complicated and Bill makes it work — I hope it will all turn out. Bill doesn’t hope about anything, he makes it turn out.”

Gendron and HFI Executive Director Justin Roche are in charge of the purchasing and contracting for the building projects.  Gendron related on a tour of the six new homes  the requirements to be a builder-owner with HFI :

1. steady income;
2. good credit (HFI will work with people who have poor credit scores;
3. willingness to work 35 hours a week to build the home.

Renee Sturk, one of the new home owners, said she has gone from living in six homeless shelters throughout the United States to “owning a beautiful home on Orcas Island.” She said the group has also gained “stability for ourselves and the process of setting and completing a task.

“We also began to have a strong understanding of the effects of affordable housing. We are the building blocks; we are this island.”

Bonnie Mahoney thanked the suppliers and volunteers who helped make their homes possible, in particular the construction managers Rick Holtman, Larry Coddington and Ed Eastsman.

She also thanked Orcas Island plumbers, excavators, hardware store, Eastsound Water Users Association, drywallers and propane suppliers, the Orcas High School Class who volunteered, Orcas Councilwoman Patty Miller, and the families and parents who provided childcare and photographs as well as additional “sweat equity.”

Finally, Mahoney thanked the neighbors for putting up with the construction process. “It was loud and not a pretty sight for a long time.”

But that was all in the past on April 15.  Following the reception, the new homes off North Beach Road were open for a tour. There were two each of  2-bedroom, 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom houses, with individual choices in flooring, countertops and appliance colors. Each home has its own garage and garden. The development shares a propane tank, with individual meters.

Any Orcas Islanders looking for affordable housing are encouraged to call Homes for Islanders at  370-5944.

(Thanks to Cassie Lindgren for her assistance in writing this article.)