Hope & Community Building

Hope and Community Building is published quarterly by
Hope Community Builders.
Designed and edited by Ken and Deb Layman.

Lots in Phase I of Covenant Heights Subdivision Sold

Most of lots 1-44 have been purchased in the Covenant Heights subdivision, just off Rt. 11 South behind the DMV. According to Asrat Gebre, CEO, 40 of the 44 lots have been purchased. Twelve of the homes in the subdivision are now completed and occupied. Four more units are projected to be completed by the end of November. An additional four units will be done by late December/early January and four new foundations were begun in October. Joppa Court is coming alive with the sounds of children playing and neighbors getting acquainted and settling in to their new homes.


View from Joppa Court and Jericho Road


Completed duplex on Joppa Court

Homebuyers Advisory Committee Meets

In September and again in November, homeowners who have purchased and moved into homes in the Covenant Heights subdivision met to formally organize the Homebuyers Advisory Committee. This group will meet quarterly and work to give homeowners guidelines as the subdivision grows and changes. Issues already addressed include agreeing on guidelines for storage buildings and waste and snow removal. Juan Correa and Martin Solomon were appointed to the Executive Committee.

Eric Beck

Eric Beck joined HCB in October, 2005 as building supervisor. He and his family moved to the Harrisonburg area from Indiana in the spring. Eric has experience in new construction as well as remodeling work. He wanted to work with an organization that provides affordable housing. Upon meeting Asrat Gebre while visiting Mt. Clinton

Eric consulting with a sub-contractor

Mennonite Church, Eric began discussions that led
to his becoming part of the HCB team.

Eric’s areas of responsibility include coordinating the work of sub-contractors and working along side them to keep the building schedule on task. He and senior Building Supervisor Duane Bontrager work to ensure home-owners have a quality built, custom designed home that will serve them well for years to come.

Eric and his wife Susan live in Harrisonburg and have two daughters, Asha, who is 6 and Hannah, 3. Welcome, Eric.

Sarah Sampson, Conard Washington, Pat Blakey, Willie Fobbs, Associate Director DHCD, Duane Bontrager

Governor’s Conference

The annual housing conference was held in Roanoke September 14-16, 2005. Six persons from HCB attended—Board members Pat Blakey, Sarah Sampson, Conard Washington, Henry Whitelow, along with Duane Bontrager and Asrat Gebre. Various aspects of housing in Virginia were discussed and HCB board members and staff networked with other affordable housing providers.

Meet the Correa and Cortez families, Covenant Heights Homeowners

Carlos, Ofelia, Juan and Marta Correa

Juan Correa has lived in Harrisonburg 11 years. He came to the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 7. He and his wife Ofelia lived in a mobile home park on Country Club Road before moving into to a brand new duplex in Covenant Heights in August, 2005. Juan saw an ad in the newspaper about Hope Community Builders and through a 2-year process, his family became homeowners. He and Ofelia have a son, Carlos who is in 6th grade at Thomas Harrison Jr. High and a daughter Marta, a 2nd grader at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Juan and Ofelia have a colorful history. Their families were part of a 300-year family feud in Mexico. They have put all that behind them and are enjoying the view from their beautiful home on Joppa Court.

Rafael, Bryan and Hilda Cortez

Next door neighbors to Juan and Ofelia live Ofelia’s sister Hilda and husband, Rafael Cortez. Rafael and Hilda have lived in Harrisonburg 16 years. Before moving into their new home in August, Rafael and Hilda lived near the HCB office on Rockingham Drive. Hilda visited Asrat Gebre often, asking many many questions before they became homeowners. She is grateful for Asrat and Duane Bontrager’s assistance in the home buying process. They have made it a positive experience for the Cortez family. Rafael and Hilda have two sons. Dan Richard goes to school in Chantilly, VA and Bryan attends Thomas Harrison Middle School.

HOPE COMMUNITY BUILDERS is a faith-based housing provider whose purpose is to empower residents of Harrisonburg/ Rockingham County and vicinity, by creating a community of fairness, justice, and hope through the provision of safe, decent and affordable housing.

HCB Officers
Conard Washington—Pres.
Wayne Teel—V.P./Treas.
Henry Whitelow - Secretary
Asrat Gebre—CEO

Staff
Duane Bontrager
Eric Beck

HCB Board Members
Don Allen
Pat Blakey
Sarah Sampson
Cephornia Smith

HCB Goes Green

HCB has retained the services of GreenVision Consulting of Richmond to certify its new homes with an “energy star” designation. This requires that all new homes be inspected at all levels of construction for energy efficiency and the use of construction materials which are environmentally friendly. Designation is based on a point system, including areas such as square footage, energy efficiency, water conservation and lot placement. New homebuyers will have a home that will be efficient, have lower running costs, and will benefit the environment.

A non-profit Community Housing Development Organization