Habitat for Humanity: An Overview

by Gabriel Ojeda, ACPA Board Member

HISTORY OF THE PROJECT

In 2020, the ACPA was asked by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) to participate in a project to build concrete homes in the U.S. for Habitat for Humanity (HFH). The idea was for ACPA members to donate their services; the members of NRMCA and the Insulated Concrete Forms Association (ICFMA) would donate the materials for the homes. For tax purposes, all ACPA members would receive a “donation in kind” document in exchange for their services. The idea was presented and approved by the ACPA Board of Directors. Other than member contributions, there was no financial requirement of the ACPA.

My first impression of Habitat for Humanity was the image of President Jimmy Carter volunteering to build homes in the Georgia area. However, HFH is a much larger organization than I realized. They operate in the U.S. through affiliates in every state, and in 70 countries around the world, with a global budget of over $2.3 billion. In the U.S., the combined affiliates make HFH one of the top five homebuilders in the nation, if not the largest. In 2021, they completed 14,000 new homes and rehabs, and repaired over 16,000 homes.

THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Affordable housing is a problem in the U.S. The median home price in the fourth quarter of 2021 was $408,000. If 30 percent of income should be allotted to housing expenses, a worker would need to earn almost $40 an hour to afford a median-priced home. Many service workers earn just over minimum wage and therefore have no chance of ever owning a decent home. In many markets, such as California and the Pacific Northwest, there is no affordable housing.

In the U.S., there are approximately 1.1 million single-family homes built per year. Including multiple housing units, that number grows to almost 1.7 million units per year. If one percent of homes are built with insulated concrete forms (ICFs), it brings in an estimated $20 to $30 million revenue for ACPA members. ICF homes are not large projects, and some people may think that we should not promote them since it is a captive market for concrete pumpers. However, the sooner we can make the change happen, the sooner we will start sharing that revenue among our members.

Another reason to participate in this project is to erase the false impression that ICF homes are only for high-end housing. Recent cost increases in lumber, coupled with labor shortages, have made concrete home construction more attractive. Considerably less skilled labor, such as carpentry, is needed for ICF homes compared to traditional stick-frame homes.

Also, building with concrete and ICFs helps create more sustainable and resilient homes. HFH states in its mission: We believe that adequate and affordable housing can be built sustainably and will contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all of the United Nations member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

ACPA’S CONTRIBUTION

In 2021, there were 15 homes built with the help of ACPA members and we wish to thank them all for their contributions. Some special projects in 2021 include:

Paradise, California. This town was wiped out completely by the Camp Fire in 2018. Habitat for Humanity is committed to helping rebuild the town. Bob’s Concrete Pumping donated their services for this project; you can read the story in the ACPA Winter 2022 Issue.

Missoula, Montana. Cost of housing is very high in this area. The median home price is around $425,000, almost 35 percent higher than the national average. Champion Concrete Pumping was happy to donate their services for this project.

Santa Fe, New Mexico. The construction crew here has been working with the goal of achieving net-zero homes by using solar panels. It costs only about $15 per month for their homes to be connected to the electric grid. Also, they teach construction skills to at-risk youngsters so they can get jobs in the construction trade. One of the homes here was awarded to a young couple; both of them will be first in their families to own a home. Thanks to Chavez Concrete Pumping for their in-kind donations.

Dallas, Texas. Lehigh-Hanson, the cement, aggregate and ready mixed producer, was the sponsor of this home; its headquarters is located in the Dallas area. A team of employees from the company volunteered for a couple of days to stack ICF blocks and help during the construction. Mike Philipps, president of NRMCA and Gregg Lewis, vice president of NRMCA, also participated in the construction. Brundage Bone was the donor for this project.

Homes are not just given to the recipient families; they must apply, show sufficient income and have steady employment. They contribute many hours of work on their home or on another project before a low-cost mortgage is issued. With current housing costs, I am sure that many employees of concrete pumpers could qualify for a home from Habitat for Humanity.

There will be more opportunities to participate in this project in 2022. The proposed locations for 2022 are shown to the right. If you want to participate or get more details, contact Taylor White at the ACPA National Office.

Habitat for Humanity Project Locations

  • East Bay Silicon Valley, CA
  • Heartland Ontario, CA
  • Inland Valley, CA
  • Bayou, LA
  • Chicago, IL
  • South Shore, MA
  • Kent, MI
  • Northeast Mississippi, MS
  • Kansas City, MO
  • Neosho, MO
  • Charlotte Region, NC
  • Durham, NC
  • Albuquerque, NM
  • Broome County, NY
  • Flower City, NY
  • Niagara, NY
  • Suffolk, NY
  • Oklahoma City, OK
  • Tulsa, OK
  • Greater Harrisburg, PA
  • Northern Utah, UT
  • New River Valley, VA
  • Northern Virginia, VA
  • Roanoke Valley, VA
  • Tacoma Pierce County, WA
  • Dane County, WI