Macon Magazine

78 maconmagazine.com | December 2024/January 2025 L e a r n m o r e a b o u t M a c o n A r e a H a b i t a t fo r H u m a n i t y BY IVEY HALL LEFT Then. Photo of the rst Macon Habitat build on Pursley Street, completed in 1988 ABOVE Now. Four new homeowners in Lynmore Estates Join their mission at maconhabitat.org M acon Area Habitat for Humanity was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-pro t organization in 1986 and ful lled a vision of a Sunday school class from Northminster Presbyterian Church to bring the work of Habitat to our community. Since its inception MAHFH has served almost 150 families in Bibb and Jones counties. MAHFH follows the model of working with households earning 25-80% of area median income to build decent, a ordable houses. Future homeowners work alongside volunteers and donors to build these houses. Upon their completion, the homes are sold to partner families on a 20 year no pro t, low to no-interest mortgage. This mortgage income is added to nancial and in-kind donations received by the organization to build more Habitat for Humanity houses. MAHFH is the oldest nonpro t building homes in partnership with low-income families in Macon-Bibb and Jones counties. Like most Habitat a liates, MAHFH began its existence by building houses scattershot wherever available land could be found. In 2005 MAHFH turned to a strategy of concentrated housebuilding and rehab that focused on revitalizing and renewing a single neighborhood in danger of decline. Habitat has constructed over 70 homes in the Lynmore Estates neighborhood and contributed to signi cant quality of life programs since 2005. In 2018 work began in Pleasant Hill with the construction of four homes. In 2022 the work expanded again to the Napier Heights neighborhood, with the construction of four new homes near Habitat's o ce on Holt Avenue. In late 2023 MAHFH was approached by the Habitat a liate in Milledgeville- Baldwin County to help with the construction of four homes funded through a CHIP grant. With a formal agreement in place, the team in Macon has been honored to share their experience to bring back the mission of Habitat to our neighbors. The rst home is now underway, with construction to begin on the others in early 2025. Building quality, a ordable houses helps strengthen working families, stabilizes neighborhoods, and adds to the community's property tax base. Transforming lives, changing the path of generational wealth, and building homes only happens when a home is infused with the love of volunteers, donors, the Habitat team, and the homeowners themselves. The work of Habitat continues in Macon-Bibb, Jones, and now Baldwin counties with four homes currently under construction, seven more already in the works for the next year, and many more to come. LEFT of the rst Macon completed in 1988

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