Habitat for Humanity’s big year ahead
Photos by Jamie Plain
Habitat for Humanity is a global force for good, helping families build and improve homes worldwide. But in Owensboro, Habitat has a distinctly local heartbeat. Here, the staff, board members, and homeowners aren’t just part of the organization — they’re deeply rooted in the community. And 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious years yet for the essential nonprofit.
At the heart of this year’s efforts is Carter Community Court, a 10-home subdivision that broke ground last April. Named in honor of the late President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, the project is “new territory” for Owensboro’s Habitat chapter.
Previous Habitat homes have all been built in established neighborhoods, while Carter Community Court is rising from undeveloped land tucked off U.S. 60 and East 6th Street. After starting from scratch, groundwork was finished by the end of 2024, and construction should be in full swing as soon as the weather allows this year.
Executive Director Jeremy Stephens said five of 10 home foundations are already poured and six of the homes have already been assigned.
“The other four probably will be assigned by early summer,” he said.
Just because they’re all being erected at once doesn’t mean there’s a cookie-cutter mold. The homes range from two to five bedrooms, and the floorplans can be flipped in multiple directions. Homeowners choose everything from paint colors to countertops and appliances.
“These people are paying for their homes, so they should be able to choose,” said Board Chairperson Dr. David Danhauer.
Stephens and Danhauer are quick to note the project would not be possible without the involvement of the Daviess County Fiscal Court, which partnered with Habitat to secure a Community Development Block Grant and state funds. Those resources allowed Habitat to hire contractors for the technical infrastructure — “the stuff we don’t do,” as Stephens puts it.
Chris Oldham, Habitat’s construction manager, ensures everything runs smoothly, maintaining relationships with contractors for licensed work like plumbing, HVAC, and electrical. Meanwhile, volunteers handle much of the hands-on building.
The rest of the “normal labor” comes from volunteer, Danhauer says.
The army of volunteers that help construct homes each year is vital to Habitat’s success in building homes, but the organization also places a major focus on the future homeowners.
The journey to a Habitat home begins long before the first nail is hammered. Prospective homeowners go through an extensive application and screening process, ensuring they meet income requirements, though it’s different than that of public housing.
“We don’t want to put people in a house they can’t afford,” Danhauer said.
After acceptance, future homeowners go through an intensive home ownership program at the Ms. Virginia’s Education and Training Center — named in honor of former Habitat Executive Director Virginia Braswell. The program offers a variety of classes on topics such as health, cooking, budgeting, and estate planning.
The application and home ownership program take 1-2 years, and only then can construction begin for that homeowner.
“We are constantly working to make sure that the homeowner is prepared for all the things that come with home ownership,” Danhauer said.
The program also pairs future homeowners with an individual who has been through the process and now lives in a Habitat house. Pam Acton was one of the first recipients of a Habitat house in Owensboro and is a member of the Homeowners Service Committee.
“Things were different when I got my house,” she said, noting that while there weren’t as many personalization options then, she got to experience that process recently with a new homeowner. “It was exciting for me, because it was exciting for her.”
For Acton, who raised three children in her home, giving back is simply passing on a blessing that was bestowed upon her years ago.
“If it wasn’t for Habitat for Humanity, I probably wouldn’t be a homeowner,” she said. “I prayed for this home and the Lord blessed me with a brand new one.” OL
