To the Editor:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Oak Ridge City Council who voted in favor of donating a city-owned lot to Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County (HFHAC). The board of directors, staff, and volunteers of HFHAC are incredibly excited and grateful to have the opportunity to partner with the City of Oak Ridge on our next building project.
We consider this a historic opportunity for community building through a true public-private partnership. As the City of Oak Ridge takes over blighted properties, HFHAC would like to offer our assistance at returning them to a taxable status. In 2011, Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County homeowners combined paid over $115,000 in city and county property taxes, supporting crucial services.
The new Habitat home will also be built to Energy Star 3.0 standards. These homes are at least 15 percent more energy-efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30 percent more efficient than standard homes.
The City of Oak Ridge will be joining Oak Ridge Associated Universities, SunTrust Bank, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati in building this home for a family with four children and a hard-working mother who looks forward to paying taxes and contributing to neighborhood stability.
Once again, our most sincere thanks go out to all those members of the Oak Ridge City Council who voted in favor of this common-sense solution to our community’s affordable housing problem.
Jennifer Sheehan
Interim Executive Director
Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County
Denny Phillips says
How about a thanks to every citizen, even council members that voted against it. After all, the entire citizenry if Oak Ridge made this donation, not just a handful of council members.
David Allred says
That would be like sending you an invitation to my birthday party and then thanking you for not coming just because your tax dollars subsidized part of the stamp.
Denny Phillips says
Actually, this letter is like thanking the UPS driver that delivers the package instead of thanking the people that bought it.
TJ says
“Public -private partnerships” is the classic definition of fascism.
Oak Ridge is a hotbed of fascism.
“I’m from the government, and am here to help you” is one of the three biggest lies. You know the other two.
Helen Standifer says
Sort of like TVA and all the businesses in Oak Ridge. They are here because of the government. Fascism???? That’s rich!