By ALLEN MINCEY
Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland has been building homes for residents in this area for more than 30 years, and for the most part, those homes have been single structures. Recently, the organization has delved into duplexes which houses two separate families.
In 2022, Habitat may be looking at increasing those housing units into spaces for four families, as plans for a quadplex are being explored.
“For the first time in our local affiliate’s history, we are going to be building a quadplex,” Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland Executive Director Tammy Johnson revealed. “Right now, we are working with the city to finalize plans for that.
“The quadplex design is going to be a two-story (structure) in the middle, and then single-story on the end,” she explained. Johnson said this would not change the direction of Habitat from still providing single-family homes.
This past week, Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland dedicated a duplex for William and Rebekah Ashe and Merilee (Maggie) Fyffe. It may have come as a surprise this type of residence was dedicated, yet it was not the first, Johnson said.
“This isn't the first … we have another in this neighborhood, but it's been a while since we built this style,” she said. “These are 900-square feet on each side. We have a single female (Fyffe) and then we have a married couple (the Ashes).
“And this is a great situation for them to be neighbors, and it also allows, William, who is blind, to be able to have easy access to his home,” Johnson said, and to have a neighbor nearby that can help if the need arises.
The Habitat executive director said the quadplex is planned for property the organization has near Blythe-Bower Elementary School.
“We’re working with the city to finalize that,” Johnson said. “We're actually working on prepping that land right now. We're working with Cathy Andrews (the city’s Redevelopment coordinator) with the community development block grant funding. The City of Cleveland is actually going to help us with a chunk of the infrastructure cost.”
Johnson mentioned working with Andrews and Corey Divel, assistant to the city manager and communications coordinator, is making the project easier to plan. Divel is also on the Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland Board of Directors.
She added the new Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland subdivision near the elementary school will be named “Morelock Meadows,” named after long-time Habitat supporter Jeff Morelock, who passed away earlier this year.
She said plans for 2022 are for five residences to be constructed, with one of those being a holdover from this year. That will bring the total for Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland homes up to over 150 in the 30-plus years of existence for the local organization.
Johnson said there is a waiting list for those who wish to become Habitat homeowners, and encourages anyone wishing to learn about applying for such a home to go to the organization’s website. She also said there is another waiting list that is something new to the group.
“We actually are starting a 2022 waiting list for people who want to come and help, and for sponsors,” she said. “This is the first time that I can ever remember us having this type of waiting list.”
Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland depends on sponsors and donations, but also on volunteers who help homeowners build the residences. This year, the four homes have had groups involved in titled efforts, including the Women Build, Law Build, Faith Build, Legacy Build and Leaders Build, but there is always room for more.
To find out more about Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, visit the organization’s website at www.habitatofcleveland.org or visit its Facebook page.
