Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley has completed the first two of eight homes in Columbia Falls that are being built in part with a $360,000 federal grant.

A dedication ceremony is planned at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at the homes, located at 2 and 4 Mitchell Way.

Construction is underway at two additional townhouses that broke ground in last October down the street at 17 and 19 Mitchell Way. They are expected to be completed by August.

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps has a team of 10 young adults working on the Habitat townhomes. The team will be here until March 21 and also will do work at Habitat’s ReStore, a secondhand shop that sells discounted building supplies.

Four additional lots remain empty awaiting future families that will be selected in the next couple of months, with construction to begin soon after, according to Flathead Habitat Executive Director Erin Falcon.

The two families moving into their completed units will attend the dedication along with members of Habitat for Humanity’s board of directors, Family Selection Committee and several key volunteers and sponsors that make the Habitat dream of homeownership possible.

Following the brief ceremony, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the completed homes.

Habitat for Humanity’s Columbia Falls affordable housing project is a 16-unit townhome development. Construction began in May 2011 and will be completed in March 2015.

By using volunteer labor, homeowner “sweat equity” and donations from local and national building material suppliers, Habitat for Humanity is able to keep the cost of construction low. Three thousand hours of volunteer labor are required to complete a Habitat home.

Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley was established in 1989 with the mission of eliminating substandard housing. Due to rapid population growth, an increase in property values and stagnant income levels, the need for affordable housing in the Flathead Valley has increased over the last two decades. According to U.S. Census data, Habitat estimates that more than 1,000 Flathead Valley families currently live in substandard housing.

Habitat has built 44 homes in the Flathead Valley to date and empowered 44 families to transition out of substandard housing and into safe, decent and affordable homes of their own.

Habitat selects families and/or individuals based on their need, ability to pay a 30-year, no-interest mortgage and on their willingness to partner with the organization.

Those interested in applying for homeownership can call 257-8800.

Habitat for Humanity holds build days every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. No building experience is necessary to help out on a build site and Habitat’s construction site supervisor is on site to assign tasks and supervise all construction. 

Those interested in volunteering can call 257-8800.