Firelands Habitat for Humanity lays out 2023 plans

SANDUSKY — Firelands Habitat for Humanity has purchased two city lots at 1129 E. Parish St. and 1131 E. Parish St. and will use the location to build a new home. The nonprofit, which builds homes to assist low-income residents who otherwise would struggle to own a home, paid the city of Sandusky $3,000 for the two lots, said Ryan Hodges, who took over in January as the new director of Firelands Habitat. The city has owned it as part of its land bank redevelopment program. "We are combining these lots together to make room for Habitat home number 114," Hodges said. Work on the home that will house the Brittny Williams family should start by the middle of the summer or early fall, Hodges said. Firelands Habitat builds homes in Erie and Huron counties, maintaining a schedule of three new homes a year. Hodges provided a summary of other recently completed and upcoming Firelands homes: • Home number 110, located at 1141 E. Farwell St. in Sandusky, has been completed. Work on the home began last fall. • Home number 111, located at 23 Woodlawn Avenue in Norwalk, also has been completed. It's the home of the Miranda Dixon family. • Home number 112, 1808 Harrison Street, is almost finished. It will serve as the home for the Angela Martin family. • Home number 113 at 612 Neil St. will house the Michelle Lately family. The lack of severe weather this winter has been good for Habitat for Humanity's building efforts, Hodges said. Hodges said a location for the 115th home has not been selected yet, but it will be a Huron County home, likely in Norwalk. Hodges replaced Mike McCall as the executive director. The transition has been smooth, aided by the fact that McCall stayed on a volunteer consultant to help Hodges, Hodges said. McCall knew that would be useful because of his own experience, Hodges said. "It was something he did not have 10 years ago," he said. Firelands Habitat for Humanity is the local chapter of a global nonprofit housing organization, run on Christian principles, that has built, renovated or repaired more than 600,000 homes worldwide. The organization was founded in 1976 in Americus, Georgia, by Millard and Linda Fuller. The personal involvement of former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have helped Habitat for Humanity expand and become better known, the organization's website explains.