Habitat working on 21-unit condo

COEUR d’ALENE — The Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded $20,000 in grants to Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho to build 21 homes in Kootenai County. 

The grant, along with the support of Wells Fargo volunteers, will help build affordable condominiums for 21 families on Second Street in Coeur d’Alene. The units are expected to be completed by 2025, according to a press release.

“As the cost of land and building materials has increased in Kootenai County, it’s been necessary for us to find more ways to keep the final cost per housing unit from rising,” said James Casper, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho. “We are now building condo-style housing in order to prevent the cost per housing unit from increasing any more than it has to.”

At least one in 10 Idaho households spend over half of their income on housing and the number of Kootenai County families who are struggling to afford rent is on the rise, the release said.

On Tuesday, Wells Fargo volunteers joined Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho at the construction site where a roof is being added to a building with five condo units. Two four-unit condominium buildings and an eight-plex are also planned for the site.

Families have been selected for 11 of the 21 units that are under construction. Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho is accepting applications for the remaining units. 

 The housing program requires sweat equity from every adult in a candidate family. Each adult is required to volunteer at the build sites, take financial education, attend first-time homeowner education classes/webinars and other volunteer activities totaling 250 to 500 hours. 

The grant Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho received is part of a $7.5 million donation to Habitat for Humanity International through the 2023 Wells Fargo Builds program to build and repair more than 350 affordable homes nationwide.

Info: www.northidahohabitat.org/housing-program