Habitat Failing Humanity

Volunteer rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast are falling short.  The Habitat for Humanity volunteer-and-sweat-equity model is proving ill-suited to the massive rebuilding efforts needed. 

The New York Times (Leslie Eaton and Stephanie Strom) reports on the lagging efforts by Habitat for Humanity (EIN 91-1914868 Form 990) to rebuild homes in the Gulf Coast region after Katrina.  While the organization's international wing was able to build 8,500 homes after the Asian tsunami, US chapters have managed to complete just 416 along the entire Gulf Coast regions, with another 286 under construction. 

The US houses are much larger, more complex, and subject to more building regulations than the $5,000 houses Habitat built overseas.  But there is also criticism with Habitat's decision making structure and its unwillingness to change its methods of operations to suit the massive needs in the hurricane reconstruction zone:

• Habitat works only through local affiliates, slowing decision making and complicating fund raising.
• Habitat only builds new homes and has resisted calls to engage in rehabilitation of existing houses. 
• Habitat requires cash payments, good credit, and sweat equity by the prospective home buyer.  The credit requirement has been especially problematic (and paradoxical) for New Orleans musicians trying to return home, which lead to an exposé in the New Orleans Times Picayune (Sour Note by Katy Reckdahl, January 2, 2007) that the Times story alludes to.  Habitat has raised millions for the Musician's Village project, promoted by Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis, but few working musicians have had either the credit or the ability to deal with the paperwork to qualify. 
• Habitat volunteers aren't all that efficient at home building.  Habitat is more about providing volunteers with a heartwarming experience.  One Habitat volunteer blogging for the Huffington Post notes that Habitat doesn't let volunteers use nail guns:

We are mostly office types who are no more qualified to use a nail gun than we would be to run a marathon, perform an emergency tracheotomy, or go outside without first lathering in SPF 40 sun block.

And the mismatch of the Habitat model and the real world requirements of home building is not limited to the Gulf Coast.  There is sporadic reporting of delays in Habitat projects that have nothing to do with Katrina: 

• This week, the Toronto Sun published a call for twenty volunteers willing to work weekdays hanging doors and drywall to complete ten houses, already a month behind schedule. 
• Last Sunday (February 18, 2007) The Lawrence (Kansas) Journal World carried a long story about the efforts of the local chapter, Lawrence Habitat for Humanity (EIN 48-1070953 Form 990), to pick up the pace of construction to qualify for a grant of $130,000 from HUD.  Executive director Jean Lilley estimates that it takes 430 volunteers to build a 1,110 square foot house.  Ms. Lilley has a paid staff of four that not only manages the projects but also run a store that sells new and used building materials to raise money.  Her full time salary is $35,496.

Habitat for Humanity illustrates both the strength and the weakness of an organization with a strong commitment to a particular mission and model.  The commitment to a model emphasizing local control, volunteerism, and helping people who can help themselves has been instrumental in creating a strong national brand.  But this model falls far short of achieving the mission principle stated in the 2004 annual report:

that safe and affordable housing is a basic human right and a fundamental component of dignity and long-term well-being for every person on earth.

Comments

[Tom H]

I don't believe that Habitat for Humanity was created to respond to all disaster relief situations. Habitat should be one of the solutions in the response to Katrina, not the only response. There are other models out there (i.e D'Iberville Volunteer Foundation) that can help, but one organization isn't THE answer to rebuilding the gulf coast. I can't see how Habitat can be held responsible for the fact that it will take 6-10 more years to rebuild all the homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

[Nathan Smith]

Tom H "nailed it on the head"! As the moto for Habitat is "A hand up not a hand out"!

[Donna Clapp]

I have to say that I'm disgusted by this article. As the comment from above notes, Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that was created to empower those who would never have the opportunity to own their own house and their model works great for that. It's not their responsibility to take care of providing housing for people after a disaster like Katrina. What's missing from this article is calling out those people who ARE supposed to be responsible for it. Who is that? Is it FEMA or what? It's certainly not any one volunteer organization. Habitat does great work and to rake them over the coals this way is completely irresponsible.

[Jesse B]

Having an expectation that an agency act outside it's parameters and then attacking it for not meeting that expectation defies all logic and common sense. Habitat for Humanity has a very definite mandate and they meet that mandate quite well. What I get from the above article is that Habitat has finished or is working on finishing a total of 702 homes. That's 702 people who might not have had their homes rebuilt without Habitat's help. Keep up the great work H4H!

[rlj]

Habit for Humanity based on the article is doing a great job. They are accomplishing their mission. The article should focus on the difference between what Habitat and FEMA. Habitat relies on volunteers and sweat equity and we know that Katrina displaced many people so therefore there their requirements can't be met but they will still building 700+ houses. For that type of organization I think they are doing a great job and should not be critized.

[birthofvenus75]

It is a sad day indeed when a charity devoted to empowering people struggling on the margins is crucified for trying to make a difference. In this age of unabashed blogging, it is so easy to be deconstructive. Here's a thought: perhaps what the writer needs is a good dose of volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build site. Being constructive is arduous, I know, but I encourage him to pick up a hammer and see what happens. Instead of spreading cynacism in the guise of investigative journalism, he might just inspire someone to make a difference. I'd like to read that blog.

[Marie Baker]

Lame reporting, one sided, mean spirited, oh well...

[Eric B]

What an awful article! I bet this writer has not volunteered 1 hour with this organization before writing this nonsence.

Ask the over 1,000 Gulf Coast families who now live in Habitat homes, post-Katrina, if Habitat failed them.

[melissa seaton]

well lets see i live in kansas and i asked habitat for humanity for Help on home repairs,they showed up said my house needed to much work and they never built a 5 bed room and my house was way worse than the other person that was also needing help,so they said it would be easier to build them one because they only needed a 2 bedroom and said sorry and walked away. even though i have a disabled daughter they still turned me down.

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I don't believe that Habitat for Humanity was created to respond to all disaster relief situations. Habitat should be one of the solutions in the response to Katrina, not the only response. There are other models out there (i.e D'Iberville Volunteer Foundation) that can help, but one organization isn't THE answer to rebuilding the gulf coast. I can't see how Habitat can be held responsible for the fact that it will take 6-10 more years to rebuild all the homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

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Tom H "nailed it on the head"! As the moto for Habitat is "A hand up not a hand out"!

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