In the past nine years, eight families have worked alongside community volunteers to build their own homes. Now, nine more families will have the chance for safe, affordable housing thanks to two grants from Habitat for Humanity International and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Habitat International awarded the Athens County affiliate a $72,800 Capacity Building Grant in June, which will help fund an executive director position. The grant is intended to pay 100 percent of the director's salary for the first year, 75 percent for year two and 50 percent for year three. Board President Chris Snoddy said Athens Habitat for Humanity must raise the rest of the money to pay for the director.

"It was a huge step for our Habitat for Humanity affiliate to take," she said. "We knew the only way to grow was to take this step."

A Capacity Building Grant makes setting the stage for building houses easier. This money can be used for any preliminary steps before actual building begins, such as hiring staff or constructing streets or septic systems.

Along with the money to hire full time staff, the grant also mandates the number of homes Athens HFH must build in the next three years.

"We are expected to increase our home building capacity," Snoddy said. While the organization has averaged about one house a year, two houses must be built next year, three in 2001 and four in 2002.

A second Habitat International grant for $63,600 was awarded to the local affiliate this September. This money is earmarked for purchasing and improving land. With the money, Athens HFH plans to buy five plots of land on which to build.

An immense help to Athens HFH, this grant is not as strict, and the local affiliate does not have to match the amount of the grant, Snoddy said.

"It is going to fit hand-in-hand to help us accomplish our goals that we set forth on the first grant application," she said.

Committee Member Dr. Chris Meyer wrote both grant applications. Habitat International receives the money in the form of block grants from HUD and then divides it among affiliates across the nation. Habitat International required a history of the affiliate and a proposal about how Athens HFH will use the money. All the grant applications go through a peer review process before a grant is awarded.

Meyer said that there were about 140 applicants for each grant, but only 70 to 80 were funded.

"Applying establishes a track record. The people who get grants are the people who got grants before," he said.

This is the first time Athens HFH has applied for or been awarded a grant. Athens HFH has two years to use the money.