Habitat homes well-deserved Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 12/1/06 As someone who has worked building homes for Habitat for Humanity, I was appalled to read Howell Mayor Joseph DiBella's statements regarding affordable housing in Howell: "We'll be saying, 'Oh, good news, Habitat for Humanity is going to build in your backyard.' And we'll hear, "Why did you pick where I live?' " ("Howell won't ID land for housing," Nov. 13.)
It is obvious DiBella has never seen one of the quality-built homes that Habitat constructs, homes that are a credit to their neighborhoods. But even more obvious from the tenor of his statements is that he wants no affordable housing in Howell at all, preferring to pay Lakewood and Keyport to assume Howell's obligation to build such badly needed homes. Contrary to what many people think, recipients of Habitat for Humanity homes do not have homes "given" to them. They must have a job, a good credit rating and the ability to pay a mortgage and taxes on their homes. They also have to put in hundreds of hours of sweat equity, helping to build their owns homes. These people work locally in our hospitals, schools and offices. They can't just afford to buy one of the McMansions that towns in Monmouth and Ocean counties seem so eager to add to their tax rolls. Perhaps DiBella and his fellow Planning Board members should educate themselves about how Habitat for Humanity operates before they denigrate them so publicly. Martin Glassman Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/