Habitat for Humanity brings new approach for homeownership and building to City of Hillsboro’s Tinkers Bluff Subdivision

HILLSBORO, Wis. –  Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region is looking for families that want to live in brand new homes on the west end of Vernon County in a picturesque subdivision in Hillsboro.

Habitat’s Executive Director Kahya Fox said four of its 10 CrossMod homes (a cross between manufactured and traditional stick-built homes) are now ready and listed for sale in the Tinker’s Bluff Subdivision. Each three bedroom, two bath home also includes a garage and covered front porch, and is available for purchase to income-qualified families.

These four homes are being sold at “market rate,” which means the household must earn at or below 120 percent of the area media income. A family of four can earn up to $115,200 per year, Fox said.

Downpayment assistance and a Habitat reduced interest rate mortgage may be an option for those households under 80 percent, she added, but that limits earnings to $76,800 per year for a family of four...

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Leo's notes: Habitat for Humanity’s approach in Hillsboro demonstrates how innovative construction methods can expand homeownership opportunities in rural communities. By combining factory-built homes with Habitat’s affordable ownership model, the organization is reducing costs while accelerating production for working families. Creative building strategies will play an increasingly important role in closing Wisconsin’s workforce housing gap—a model to watch.

Ken Notes: I believe we could work with stick builders and manufactured home builders to adopt some of the habitat design and working with families using new TIF statutes to create some very special neighborhoods especially in rural Wisconsin.