COAST HABITAT NEWSPublished by Habitat For Humanity of the Mendocino Coast, Inc.- Winter 2012

MCPHERSON CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY AT LAST:WE ARE UP AND OUT OF THE GROUND

After unavoidable delays in getting the necessary permits and permissions to stage the complex site work, we are at long last beginning to build the first of eight Habitat homes. The whole basically level site had to be shaped to confrom to ADA rules for wheelchairs. The parking area and sidewalks are home to hundreds of yards of pipes and cables which had to be placed with great precision and completeness since they are now buried and no longer accessible. We had many sepa-rate inspections and test runs to be sure that the whole site was correctly graded and complete before we could start building. Each of the four units will be a duplex, the first of which will house the Rocha and the Cazares families (See article and photos on page 2.) We can move smoothly through the construction process and expect them to be able to move in by summer of 2013 when we can start the Sanchez and Bermudez unit on the slab just to the West of the one we are working on.

NEW ROUND OF FAMILY SELECTION Habitat has reconstituted the Family Selection Commit-tee to pick our next four families. Although they will not be housed until 2015, they are being chosen now so that they can become part of the Habitat Partner’s team and acquire their 500 hours of “sweat Equity,” on the job experience with other Partners in home building and Maintenance. Each family must submit proof of income, 3 years of tax forms, legal status of each member and their Social Security numbers, list of all open credit cards, Bank or Credit Union accounts, copy of most recent utility bills, marriage certifi-cate if applicable, drivers license or I.D. Card and your prior landlord in the past 5 years to have a complete application. The committee will then run a credit check and evaluate the degree of housing need (condition of present appartment.)They will then do one or more home visits to determine how well the family understands the mission, how prepared they are to participate in it, and the quality of family interaction. Families who make it through these filters will be ranked by the committee as they see it and submitted to the Board without names for the final choice. Rejected applicants will be notified of they reason; those chosen will sign a contract.

Scott Anderson (red shirt) leads the future homeowner crew

second storey framing is underway on the first units

sidewalks and 4 house pads cover a mile of pipes and wires

PAGE TWO COAST HABITAT NEWSLETTER — WINTER 2012

The Cazares and Rocha families were selected with the San-chez and Bermudez families in 2007. All have been working hard ever since building the last four houses for other families on Dick Williams Way and helping to prepare the site at McPherson Street. The Cazares family includes Dad, Ambrocio (who works for Philbrick Logging) and Mom, Marguerita (who works for the Sea Rock Inn) plus four daughters Marisol, Margarita, Maria and An-drea (21,20,17 & 12). (Marisol and Margarita work at Agate Cove Inn and Hill House, respectively.) Jr., who is 7 in the 2nd grade at Redwood Elementary, likes to ride his bike and eat popcorn. With an impish smile he says what he wants is “my own bedroom”! (The girls all laugh and say “Like that is going to happen!) The Rocha family includes Dad, Macario, and Mom, Alma, who work for Barnett Logging and Holiday Inn, respectively. Their daughter Alma, who will be sixteen on New Year’s Day, is a Soph-omore at F.B.H.S. Their son, Macario, Jr, turned 13 in October and is in the 8th grade at F.B. Middle school. They are all excitedly awaiting “move in” day in 2013! One indication of the character of the families selected by Habitat is that the Bermudez family voluntarily stepped aside, giving up their position established at the time of selection, and let the Rocha family move into the priority slot for one of the first two homes. This occurred because Macario had been on the wait list before the final cut years earlier and had worked on homes earlier than the others, a fact overlooked in the passage of time. The Part-ners called it to the Board’s attention and they ratified the decision of the Partners amongst themselves.

MEET THE ROCHAS AND THE CAZARES FAMILIES-PARTNERS SINCE 2008 by Chet Anderson

The Cejas family in Ukiah became HFH’s newest partners when the Inland affialiate disbanded in 2008 and their neighbor default-ed. Habitat International asked us to take over and what a long strange trip it has been, but at last it is resolved. The Cejas family bought the other half of the duplex on Peach Street with their daughter, thus consoldating the two Tenants-In-Common units into a single title.

HABITAT’S NEWEST OLD FAMILY

Lilia and her husband, Mario have been Habitat homeowners in Ukiah for more than twelve years. They also became our newest Partners when they purchased the other half of the Ukiah duplex they already owned with this March. Lilia and Mario along with their 3 year old twins Analia and Valma live in the half of the duplex they purchased in the year 2000 with Yesenia, Miguel and Miguel Jr.. Their adult children, Isabel, Sebastian, Andrea and Rachel live in the recently purchased half of the duplex. Habitat for Humanity on the Coast is helping the eleven mem-bers of the Ceja household live and work in the Ukiah area. Lilia is an insurance agent, Mario is a landscape contractor, Yesenia is a dental assistant, Miguel works in a vineyard, Isabel is a medical receptionist, and Andrea works in a bakery. Rachel and Sebastian are both students.When Lilia and Mario moved into their Habitat home in 2000, friends teased them about being Habitat homeowners. Mario reports that after the housing downturn, many of those friends have lost their homes to foreclosure. They told Mario that, in the end, the Ceja family was the smart one, having purchased and thrived in their Habitat home throughout the entire housing crisis.

Macario,and Alma Rocha, Jr. (7) and Alma (12)

Margarita and Ambrocio Cazares in back with Marisol (21), Andrea (12), Margarita (20), Jr. (7) and Maria (17)

Yesenia, Lilia, Mario. Valma, Miguel Jr. and AnaliaNot Shown: Isabel, Sebastian, Andrea,Rachel & Miguel Sr.

MEET THE CEJA’S: ELEVEN STRONG by Ron Hensell

COAST HABITAT NEWSLETTER — WINTER 2012 PAGE THREE

DONORS ON PARADE: HABITAT SUPPORTED BY INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, BEQUESTS AND PARTICIPATION IN THE HFHINTERNATIONAL CAR PROGRAM ON OUR DONATE WEBPAGE CONVERT YOUR OLD CAR INTO A HOUSE Did you know that your old clunker is worth $ to Habitat on the Coast. In the past 7 years 12.7 million dollars have been raised nationwide through this pro-gram and 536.00 dollars locally this year. Go to http://www.carsforhomes.org, call Habitat locally at 707-964-0942, or email us at www.habitatmendocino.org to find out how you can participate. The car will be picked up and sold with 85% going to our Affiliate.

PUT HABITAT MENDOCINO IN YOUR WILL Judy Brooks and Betty Mahon (wife of one of our Founders, Hank Mahon) came to an funding ap-peal event where they were asked to write HFH into their wills. Last year Habitat was notified by their heirs that we were to recieve $18,592 and $12,500 respectively from their estates, an amount equal to the framing package for the first duplex on McPher-son Street now under construction.

INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES MAKE A DIFFERENCE: JOIN THEM IN OUR MISSION TO BUILD HOUSES, BUILD LIVES AND BUILD OUR COMMUNITY

MASTER BUILDERIndividual SupportersRaymond and Judy Brooks TrustTom CostelloPat DunbarChuck Greenberg & Claire EllisRon and Ruth HensellHank and Betty Mahon TrustMary Sue McNeillJohn & Susan MitchellJanet D. MorrisJohn & Janis Porter

Business SupportersRedwood Health ClubHabitat for Humanity Int’l Cars for Homes

JOURNEYMANIndividual SupportersLuna ArmstrongHelio CenRichard GreenAnn Krase

Network for GoodJohn and Janis PorterFrank & Sallie RichardsNorm RudmanSue ShabazzWilliam and Carla Schneiderman

BUSINESS SUPPORTERSBusiness SupportersFort Bragg ElectricJudy Cutino, Bookkeeper

CARPENTER Individual SupportersTony Apolloni & Maria MarJanet AshfordMarcus & Kathy BibbensJack & Chatter BishoffJames & Anne BlantonKathleen CameronPatricia CampbellDiane CeruttiMarilyn & Malcolm DunhamRon & Joan EichSiobhan ElderRichard FienburghCharles & Arleen FraserPatricia GalliganRobert & Mary GerbiWilliam GibsonRichard & Sue Goodman

David & Betty GrossJeanette HansenThomas & Jean HawkinsBoyd & Mary Kay HightSusan Joyce HofbergBob Schlosser & Dawn HofbergKaren & William InwoodWilliam & Gwen JacobsonTeresa & Burton KaplanPaul & Joan KatzeffWilma Keeney & Christopher RoeDon & G.M. KoubekDeborah B. LennoxSam & Babs LevineHorace & Virginia MannJan & Nancy MantelPatricia Patton MarshallBob & Judith MatheySusan NewsteadCarol PreisigFrank RichardsJennifer L. RichardsPeter & Dylis SommerPaul & Judy TichininJane VartanianJoy VernerNorma WatkinsOrah Young

Business SupportersPresbyterian Women of Fort Bragg

This list is from November 2011 to November 2012. If you gave last year, but not this, Please do so again. If you gave this year and can do more, please do. We will need money again to com-plete the houses we have started.

PAGE FOUR COAST HABITAT NEWSLETTER — WINTER 2012

PRST STDNONPROFIT

POSTAGEPAID

PERMIT #72FORT BRAGG, CA

Habitat for Humanityof the Mendocino Coast, Inc.P.O. Box 770, Fort Bragg, CA 95437

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

FROM THE BOARDROOM RON HENSELL,

PRESIDENT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2012-2013RON HENSELL: BUILD COMMITTEE;

PRESIDENT

SCOTT ANDERSON: BUILD CHAIR;

VICE PRESIDENT

CHUCK GREENBERG: CHAIR, SITE AND RESOURCE; SECRETARY

RICHARD GREEN: TREASURER; CHAIR, FINANCE COMMITTEE

NORM RUDMAN, LEGAL AFFAIRS

JUDY CUTINO: FINANCE COMMITTEE IRENE MALONE: PARTNERING COMMITTEE

TOM COSTELLO: FINANCE COMMITTEE

SUE SHABAZZ: REALTOR

HELIO CEN: BUILD COMMITTEE

FRANK RICHARDS: BUILD COMMITTEE

CHUCK GREENBERG: NEWSLETTER EDITOR

CHET ANDERSON: CHAIR, PARTNERING

MARILYN LEROY: CHAIR, FAMILY SELECTION

The Kite Fest was a great sucess this year providing a kid-friendly day on the Coast. Home made kites and ones bought from the Village Toy Store took to the air and everyone had a good time. We have not run this for the past 5 years as a fund raiser, seeking only to break even with no admission charge and provide a fun day for families: by that standard it was a success. Habitat is now renting its office to Judy Cutino Bookkeeping which saves us two thirds of our monthly rent on what is basically for us a records storage room and keeps our bookkeeper near to hand.

We have incorporated a new family in our Partner circle in Uki-ah and have at last resolved title on a problematic Tenants-In-Common creation of the now defunct Ukiah Affiliate. (See P2 photo and story.) Jennifer Crotzer (photo below) is the new owner of Fort Bragg Glass. When she bought the busi-ness it came with an odd assort-ment of new windows they could not use and neither could we, but the Bay Area Habits could. We brokered a deal where they carted the windows down for resale in the HFH ReStores and they cut our price on the 26 McPherson St. win-dows by $2,000-a win all round.