By Ariana Kramer For The Taos News

On Saturday (Sept. 10), Susan Valencia was handed the keys to her new home. As a partner family with Habitat for Humanity’s Taos affiliate, Valencia contributed more than 500 hours of labor, attended classes in home maintenance and finances, and paid a small down payment in exchange for a tax-deductible, interest-free mortgage.

After waiting for a year and a half, Valencia and her five daughters are thrilled to be moving into their new home in Questa.

“This is probably one of the happiest days of my life,” said Valencia, with a huge smile spreading across her face. “We finally have our own home.”

Valencia’s new home was built by volunteers from across the nation who traveled to Taos to work on the project. Valencia and her family met the volunteers, and often worked alongside them on projects such as framing, hanging drywall, installing windows, insulating, and painting. A standardized blueprint was used for the design of the three-bedroom home and the Valencia family chose features such as tilework and color schemes.

Contractor Mark Trujillo supervised the building of Valencia’s Habitat for Humanity home. Trujillo explained that with the exception of plumbing and electric work, all the general construction of the home was done with volunteer labor.

Trujillo has supervised the building of two Habitat for Humanity homes in recent years. Since volunteers often have no construction background, a large part of his job is teaching. He has enjoyed developing his people skills.

“You meet wonderful people,” said Trujillo. “You get people who come here with real willing hearts, ready to do anything you ask them to do. You really see the better part of human nature.”

The volunteer work group’s are the heart of what makes Habitat for Humanity homes possible. Visiting work groups from across the nation came to Questa to help build the Valencia’s home. In all, 44 groups took part in the project, from places as far away as New Jersey and Australia. Volunteers not only contributed their labor, but also paid their travel expenses to the site.

“One of the groups had to do seven fundraisers just to get here,” said Cynthia Arvidson, who has served as the executive director for the Taos affiliate of Habitat for Humanity for the past three years. “They worked their tails off before they got here, and worked their tails off when they got here.”

Arvidson said she won’t forget the dedication of that New Jersey crew.

In addition to covering their own travel expenses, each volunteer in a visiting work group pays an additional fee to participate in the service project. Visiting work group fees comprise the largest source of funding for the Taos affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. Habitat ReStore, is the second largest funding source.

Arvidson explained that it is a common misconception that the Taos affiliate receives funding from Habitat for Humanity International. Arvidson said the Taos affiliate is not only responsible for raising 100 percent of its own funds, it also tithes 10 percent of the funds it raises to Habitat for Humanity’s international building projects. Since 1993, the Taos affiliate has funded the building of 10 homes in Mexico.

According to Arvidson, the need for Habitat for Humanity in Taos is huge. She said 90 percent of Taos County residents cannot afford to buy a home.

While Habitat’s projects in the town of Taos have been temporarily stalled, the affiliate is working on completing a third Questa home. The home does not yet have a partner family, and Arvidson is eager to find one. She is also seeking donations of land, or information on low-cost parcels suitable for housing projects. Arvidson said she hopes to be building back in Taos again next year.

A number of sponsors supported the building of the Valencia family’s new home, as well as other Habitat for Humanity projects in the Taos area. Sponsors include Peoples Bank, Randall Lumber and Hardware, Whirlpool, Dow Chemical Company, Chevron Mining, L&G Interiors, Taos Housing Corp., Bob’s Yard, Southwest Spiral Designs, Taos Appraisals, Joddie Valdez Land Surveyor, Questa Baptist Church, and the village of Questa.

Eligibility for home ownership through Habitat for Humanity is based on income and ability to pay a small down payment (approximately $1,500) and contribute 500 hours of sweat equity, which can be earned in a variety of ways. Interested parties may contact Arvidson for a complete list of qualifications.

Arvidson stressed that the program is open to all family configurations. While most of their applicants have been single mothers, that is not a requirement. Adult single men or women are eligible as are single fathers and couples with or without children.

The average cost for a mortgage on a Habitat for Humanity Home in Taos is $370-400 per month, Arvidson said. The cost is based on a tax-deductible, interest-free 30-year mortgage.

Arvidson explained that the affiliate offices of Habitat for Humanity have the flexibility to develop their program based on the needs of their specific community. Currently, the Taos program has options for building adobe homes, and Arvidson has approached green builder Mike Reynolds to discuss how they might collaborate to build solar-powered, off-grid Earthships.

According to its website, Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller. The organization seeks to “eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.”

For more information on how to volunteer or donate to the Taos affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, or to apply for home ownership visit www.taoshabi¬tat. org or call (575) 758-7827.

Habitat ReStore is located at 16 State Road 522 in El Prado; (575) 776-2165. The ReStore accepts donations of recycled building materials and home appliances, and can arrange to pick up donated items.