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Interview with Habitat Board Chairman John Goodwin
In this busy world we live in, it is still important to give back to the community. We decided this month to share a bit about how Stono Construction co-owner John Goodwin gives back in his spare time. As the Board Chairman of Charleston Habitat for Humanity, John has earned a great deal of respect from his peers, benefactors, and volunteers in a short period of time. The organization has grown significantly in the last couple of years, and we wanted to check in to see what the hype is all about.
How did you become involved? When? When did you become chairman?
I started working with Habitat in Virginia around 2002. I participated in several whole house sponsorships, volunteer work, and outreach. A fact many people aren’t aware of is that Habitat for Humanity is consistently ranked in the top 20 largest homebuilders in America. So, when we relocated to Charleston in 2013, I wanted to continue that work. So, I joined the board in 2015 and became chairman in 2017.
What’s the basic process for building a new home at Habitat for Humanity?
It really starts with Habitat holding yearly information sessions open to anyone interested in our program. The selection process is quite detailed and requires a lot of the candidate. In 2016, 50 Charlestonians attended homeownership seminars, acting as the first step in the process of purchasing an affordable home. Six partner families were selected for the program, and all successfully completed financial literacy classes in preparation of home ownership, as a portion of their required 500 hours of “sweat equity.” These are hours required to participate in Habitat by performing work on the jobsite/home, working in the ReStore, etc. The whole process from family selection to closing usually takes about a year.
How do you get quality skilled individuals to build a home for free? Does HFH have a project manager or lead contractor? Is this person an employee or a volunteer?
The outreach provided by the local community is phenomenal. In addition, we get other out of town volunteers through HFH programs like Collegiate Challenge and Women Build which bring volunteers from across the US to Charleston to build our homes. We do have a full-time Construction Manager employed by HFH who coordinates all construction activities. We are currently looking for an Assistant Construction Manager to help out too! A common misconception is that Charleston Habitat requires skilled volunteers. While we certainly welcome those that know how to lay sheathing or finish drywall – a good many of our volunteers have ZERO experience building homes. We will walk people through every task, project, and power tool. Habitat has over 3K volunteers a year! We welcome rotary clubs, individuals, corporate groups, church groups – you name it., and we’ll find a fit
Is HFH bound by the same regulatory environment that for-profit builders are? Does permitting work the same way?
Essentially it works the same way. The local municipalities have always been great partners for HFH and are always willing to work with us to bring affordable housing to the area.
Can you describe some of the positive outcomes? How is the success of the program measured?
There are so many incredible outcomes it’s hard to select just one. We recently completed a home in March and held the home dedication for the new homeowner. At the dedications as friends, family, volunteers, and donors are all gathered you can feel excitement and pride in the air. There’s a lot of hard work by a lot of people that goes into getting to that point, but when the homeowner completes the build process and takes the keys from us at the dedication that is what it is all about.
Does the recipient essentially get a free home? Or do they pay for it over time? How does that work?
It is not free. HFH prides itself on giving “a hand up, not a hand out.” By that, we mean that we partner with our families to help them work towards the dream of homeownership. It’s not an easy process and requires a lot of work on the candidate’s part. We teach them about financial responsibility. Most of our home owners pay around $500 for their Charleston Habitat interest-free mortgage – compared to $1,400 in rent on the open market. Having an affordable home provides more than just a roof over someone’s head – it provides stability in children’s education when they’re not having to constantly switch schools and more disposable income because of the much lower utility and maintenance costs, to name a few. The financial literacy classes teach former renters what all comes along with home ownership – HVAC maintenance, lifetime of a roof, importance of avoiding freezing pipes, etc. It’s not just about getting into a home – it’s about being able to maintain it successfully, and prepare for those expenses that a landlord previously covered.
Does the recipient have any choices with respect to floorplan design, finishes, etc.?
Yes, each candidate is able to customize bedroom count (based on family needs, not wants) and finishes / color choices available through our partners.
Does HFH only do projects in the greater Charleston SC area?
Habitat for Humanity is an international organization and one of the largest home builders in the world. We build homes in over 70 countries. We have built over 800,000 homes since we started in 1976.
Why do you like working for Habitat for Humanity?
Providing affordable housing to our communities is very important to me and being able to help to that end with Habitat is very rewarding. A home is many things. Beyond the basic function of providing shelter it becomes the anchor of a family. Having a place to call home and raise a family in a safe environment is something that is often taken for granted by those who have never been without that.
What are the biggest challenges?
The biggest challenge today is keeping focused on Fundraising to support the mission. That’s a never-ending cycle but so important to what we do. Without the support via donations to ReStore, volunteers, cash and in kind donations from businesses and individuals in the community we cannot build homes.
For more information on Habitat for Humanity in Charleston, SC, please visit them on the web at www.charlestonhabitat.org.