Habitat for Humanity breaks ground in Richmond, urges continued city land donations and volunteer support

Habitat for Madison and Clark Counties told the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners April 14 that it recently broke ground on Locust Street and is preparing additional builds and repair projects, and asked for continued city support — particularly donations of land and site-development assistance.

Mary Jo Hatchett, executive director of Habitat for Madison and Clark Counties, said the organization seeks to provide “decent, affordable, and safe” housing through home builds and repair programs. Habitat’s program requires partner families to complete homeowner education and 250 hours of “sweat equity.” The organization also operates a repair program, A Brush With Kindness, that performs exterior repairs, wheelchair ramps and other aging-in-place projects.

Brian, a Habitat representative who spoke after Hatchett, described results from a statewide housing needs survey by the Kentucky Housing Corporation that, he said, shows Madison County will be short more than 2,000 homeowner units by 2030 at current construction rates. He said market-rate builders are producing very few homes under $200,000: in Fayette County only two such homes were built in 2024 and Madison County had seven, one of which was a double-wide mobile home. As an example of Habitat’s affordability model, Brian said a house appraised at $185,000 would carry an estimated mortgage-plus-taxes-and-insurance payment of about $800 per month on Habitat’s terms (20-year term, 0% interest and a $1,500 down payment), compared with more than $1,200 per month and a $37,000 20 percent down payment under a standard 30-year market mortgage.

Hatchett said land is the commodity Habitat needs most and thanked the city for previously donating three lots (two on Locust Street and one on Hill Street). She asked that the city continue to consider donating property or assisting with site-development costs so Habitat can convert long-vacant lots into productive housing and place homes back on the tax rolls.

Hatchett also sought volunteers with construction and maintenance skills and noted enthusiasm among partner families for the program’s sweat-equity requirement: she said the new family in Richmond has already asked when they can begin volunteer hours. The commission acknowledged Habitat’s request and staff said they will continue to coordinate on available city lots and development assistance.

Clarifying details provided at the meeting

- Kentucky Housing Corporation survey: quoted figure that Madison County may be short over 2,000 homeowner units between now and 2030 (speaker: Brian). - Example appraisal: a Habitat-built home appraised at $185,000 used for affordability illustration (speaker: Brian). - Habitat down payment: cited $1,500 (speaker: Brian). - City-donated lots: the city previously donated three lots to Habitat (two on Locust Street, one on Hill Street) (speaker: Brian).

Speakers from the presentation asked for continued city cooperation on land and site-development support, and for volunteers to help with construction and repair programs. The city manager noted those requests and said staff will continue working with Habitat on available properties and project logistics.