Just over three years ago we (our board of directors, really) purchased the Twin Creeks Village property at 925 112th St SE, in S Everett. The purchase was a key element in the board’s strategic commitment to our community to serve more Habitat Families. At the time, late 2015, the affiliate was serving about two families a year if you looked back ten years. I’ve heard people tell stories about a letter from the main office suggesting more was possible given the county population of 750,000.
The TCV purchase meant the affiliate would have the land – the critical first step to helping Habitat Families build a home for themselves. A piece of property well served by community resources like transit and grocers, and large enough to serve 20 or more families in a town-home configuration. Part of the financing requires payoff after eight years, or August of 2023. That date has given shape to our overall objective – having all homes complete and in the hands of Habitat Families by August of 2023.
In practical terms this requires we (meaning me!) increase production capacity to support five, not just one or two, families building homes for themselves per year. A big increase requires new ways of getting things done. Generating a construction budget was a big first step. It’s really just a list of activities that, if completed, will support our community’s mission.
The board of directors reviewed the affiliate’s FY19 budget on Saturday. I’m interested in the discussion outcomes. It will set the priorities for what we build in the coming year. With board guidance in-hand I’ll share more about the budget. But it’s worth noting the three construction project planned for the coming year. (The affiliate follows a fiscal year starting on 7/1, and ending 6/30.)
GOLD BAR 2: The GB2 project is located at 15708 Gold Bar Dr., in Snohomish Co just E of the Gold Bar city limit. The two small narrow lots were donated to the affiliate. The lots present a challenge. The entire site is within a sensitive stream zone. All development must be done with care to maintain the local conditions. Today we’re working to complete environmental studies required for permit, and submit permit for review. Construction start has been delayed months as we’ve tackled these additional requirements. Now hoping to start in construction in August this year.
TCV CIVIL: When building one home at time we build the driveway, connect the utilities, and manage the storm water, for that home alone. For Twin Creeks Village we’re planning 24 family units. Because of the scale, it makes more sense to build all the driveways, all utility connections, and storm water facilities for all the homes at once. This is what the TCV Civil construction project has as its objective: build all infrastructure required to support 24 families grouped in six four-unit buildings. This project is unique in that it requires activities we’re not familiar with. GB2 and TCV Phase 2 are new construction. Something we do well. Civil construction requires different skills and experiences. Getting the civil construction completed will require the affiliate to build new partnerships with those able to complete this work.
TCV PHASE 2: This project begins with the slab foundation required for our second construction phase at TCV. As planned today Phase 2 will be the S-most unit on the site, and serve families with three 3-bedroom/2.5 bath units, and one 2-bedroom/2 bath home. Solid progress on our TCV Civil project will be required for Phase 2 construction to begin. There is a lot that could delay the start of Phase 2 construction, now planned for April 2019.
More to come!
Chris
