[MCN] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Habitat wins competitive award for affordable home design

[Abby Lynes]

For Immediate Release

Contact: Abby Lynes, Impact & Engagement Director

Email: impact at habitatmsla.org

Office: 406-549-8210

Cell: 406-403-2429

Habitat for Humanity of Missoula wins competitive award in national Habitat
Home Design Contest

Habitat for Humanity of Missoula (HfHM) is excited to announce it has won
the Best in Affordability award for Habitat for Humanity International’s
Home Design Contest.

The contest was available to all U.S. Habitat Affiliates, with 100 entries
submitted. HfHM was one of just 13 entrants selected, a great honor.
Categories included sustainability, accessibility, resiliency, and more.

“Our team strives to achieve the best in affordability; we carefully
strategize space-efficient floor plans and energy-efficient envelopes. We
want these homes to function well and the families to enjoy being home in
an environment they can thrive in, so we take care to provide daylight and
occupant comfort,” said Kate Geer, designer at A&E Architects, who
partnered with HfHM for this project.

Winners were selected based off of their ability to demonstrate success in
many of those categories, along with replicability of projects. Judges
reviewed site plans as well as an online application detailing technical
information about the home, neighborhood/community context, and why the
project is unique.

“I've been so humbled to work with Habitat as we pursue affordable and safe
homes for our Missoula community. It's been a privilege to help design
these homes that provide a safe place for families to thrive,” Geer said.

Winners were honored in a Zoom award ceremony in December. HfHM will
receive a $2,000 award, which it will turn around and reinvest in its
home-building program so the organization can continue to build
sustainable, decent homes people can afford.

"Our national award-winning affordable home design is a win-win for our
community.  Not only is it fiscally responsible to offer homes affordable
to Missoula's workforce so they have opportunity at building capital, we
also stand by their smaller footprint and energy-efficiency creating a win
for our environment.  I am so proud of the entire team who collaborated on
this endeavor,” said Heather Harp, HfHM Executive Director.

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About Habitat for Humanity of Missoula: Since 1991 Habitat has created
decent, affordable  homes alongside local families earning 40 to 80% of the
median area income. These homes are then sold to the families who helped
construct them through a unique program to keep payments within the
family’s means. This process, called Habitat’s 30-30-0-250 mortgage
program, allows families to purchase a 30-year mortgage, with payments set
at 30% of their income, zero interest, and the contribution of 250 hours of
“sweat equity” work as the home is built.

Currently, Habitat is finishing construction on two homes, the
organization’s 58th and 59th in Missoula County, alongside the Lumona
family of six and the Grados family of three. The Lumona family home is
also Habitat’s 9th in the Franklin to the Fort neighborhood while the
Grados family home is Habitat’s first in East Missoula.Habitat has recently
selected three partner families for 2021 who will soon be announced.

Habitat for Humanity of Missoula’s office and retail location, the Habitat
ReStore, are located at 3655 MT Highway 200 East, Missoula, MT 59802. For
more information, call 549-8210 or visit www.habitatmsla.org

*Abby Lynes*
Impact & Engagement Director - Habitat for Humanity of Missoula
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