Oak Ridge Today

EnergySolutions contributes $50K to Habitat over five years

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Submitted

When building houses for those in need, Habitat for Humanity seeks volunteers, supplies, and monetary donations. In an effort to help the organization achieve its goals, EnergySolutions contributed $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County over a period of five years to support housing developments in both Oak Ridge and Clinton, and the company also assisted the organization with transporting much-needed supplies to the community.

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is an ecumenical ministry founded in 1992 that builds simple, decent, and affordable houses with participating families, and works with diverse individuals, organizations, and faith communities to serve others. Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County accepts monetary donations, as well as ink cartridges, cell phones, aluminum cans, and even vehicles to recycle, and the Habitat ReStore accepts gently used household items, furniture, appliances, and even building materials to resell. [Read more…]

Board orders demolition of five homes in Highland View

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117 Wade Lane Home

A city board on Thursday declared this home at 117 Wade Lane to be unfit for human habitation and ordered it demolished within 90 days.

Note: This story was updated at 11:40 p.m.

From the outside, the homes look they’re in decent shape and not the worst in the neighborhood.

But inside and underneath, problems range from collapsing floors and settling foundations to leaking roofs and tens of thousands worth of mold damage.

On Thursday, a city board declared the five vacant homes to be unfit for human habitation, and members ordered them demolished within 90 days. The city could use federal money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to buy and demolish the homes. [Read more…]

Habitat for Humanity volunteers install three roofs in March

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Habitat Volunteers on Lake City Roof

Student volunteers for Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County help install a roof in Lake City. (Submitted photos)

Two families and the Holiday Bureau have new roofs this month, thanks to volunteers from two different colleges and local men that routinely volunteer for Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, a press release said.

The first week of March, a group of students from the Milwaukee School of Engineering came to Oak Ridge as part of Habitat for Humanity’s Collegiate Challenge program. The students were housed at First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge. First Baptist shared their facilities for four weeks in a row with four different groups.

The Holiday Bureau has a bicycle storage shed, measuring 16 feet x 78 feet, that had a very old and leaky roof. Now, the shed has a new roof, and it only took the students four days, the press release said. Tim Marcum, HFHAC’s chief operating officer, coordinated this project in an effort to help another nonprofit. [Read more…]

Trunk Sale features jewelry, art; benefits Habitat for Humanity

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Bombay by Design Trunk Sale Flier

A Trunk Sale at Grove Center this weekend will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, and it will feature items ranging from exquisite jewelry and exotic beads to apparel and linen, organizers said.

The sale is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 105 Randolph Road.

Other items will includes accessories, handicrafts, and tribal and bohemian art, organizers said. Merchandise is designed and crafted by banjara (gypsies) and artisans in India.

First local Habitat for Humanity family celebrates mortgage payoff with mortgage burning

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Habitat for Humanity Mortgage Burning

The first family to pay off its mortgage in the traditional manner through Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County celebrates with a mortgage burning ceremony last week. Pictured from left are homeowners Becky and Ray Seiber and HFHAC Executive Director Jennifer Sheehan.

The first family to pay off its mortgage in the traditional manner through Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, making monthly mortgage payments, celebrated with a mortgage burning ceremony last week.

Owned by Becky and Ray Seiber, the home just north of Oliver Springs in the Cove community was also the first house built by the then-new Habitat for Humanity chapter in 1992. The Seibers are considered the affiliate’s first family. [Read more…]

Habitat for Humanity seeks USDA grant for critical home repair in rural Anderson County

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Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, or HFHAC, is seeking U.S. Department of Agriculture Section 533 grant funding through the Housing Preservation Grant Program in order to provide critical home repairs and weatherization services to very low and low income homeowners. As part of their grant application, HFHAC would like to announce a Statement of Activities and encourage the public to express any concerns or make any suggestions to assist in the proposed project. [Read more…]

Habitat for Humanity celebrates reorganized, cleaned-up store

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Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Local officials and Habitat for Humanity workers and volunteers celebrate with a June ribbon-cutting ceremony at the renamed home store, which has been cleaned up and offers lower prices, officials said.

Local officials and Habitat for Humanity workers and volunteers celebrated the opening of a reorganized, cleaned-up store in Grove Center during a June ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Formerly known as the Home Store, it’s now called ReStore, said Jennifer Sheehan, interim executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County.

Four large shipping containers that had been in front of the store and used for storage have been removed, and trees have been trimmed, creating a better line of sight to the store from the road, Sheehan said.

“We’re working hard to improve curb appeal,” she said. [Read more…]

Letter: Thanks Council for donating city lot to Habitat

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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. [Read more…]

Council rejects funding for sinkhole repairs, tax rate reduction; approves Habitat property transfer

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Oak Ridge High School Soccer Field Sinkhole

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday rejected a request to reimburse the school system about $36,000 for repairs to this 13-foot sinkhole under the Oak Ridge High School soccer field.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday rejected a request to use red light camera money to reimburse the school system $36,000 for sinkhole repairs made in April at the Oak Ridge High School soccer field.

Council also agreed to transfer a small burned-out lot on Hillside Road to Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County and rejected a proposal to lower the property tax rate by one cent.

Asked about the sinkhole repair reimbursement on Tuesday, Oak Ridge Schools Interim Superintendent Bob Smallridge said the school system, which expects revenues to fall by about $1 million and is cutting 18 positions, has a tight budget. [Read more…]

Council considers budget tonight

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Oak Ridge City Council Budget Meeting

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider the municipal budget, which is not expected to raise property taxes, during a second and final reading Tuesday evening.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider the municipal budget on second and final reading tonight.

If approved, the budget would not raise property taxes, but it would give employees a 1 percent pay raise and add another $50,000 for the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce contract.

Tonight’s meeting also includes a presentation of the Oak Ridge Schools’ budget, which was approved on second and final reading on Thursday. [Read more…]

Women volunteer at construction site for National Women Build Week

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Women Build May 2013

More than 15 women volunteered on a Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County  construction site earlier this month in recognition of National Women Build Week. Now in its sixth year, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote at least one day to help repair or build affordable housing in their local communities.

The volunteers worked to provide weatherization services and exterior repairs to a home owned by a single mother with three children. While new siding was being installed by volunteers, other volunteers worked on landscaping and yard maintenance. [Read more…]

Volunteers needed during National Women Build Week

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Volunteers are needed for Habitat for Humanity’s sixth annual National Women Build Week.

Locally, Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County will partner with Lowe’s and the Associated Construction Women to repair a woman-owned home on Saturday, May 11. [Read more…]