Local chapter marks World Habitat Day

Sisters Habitat for Humanity broke ground on the chapter's 52nd home on Monday. The event also marked the occasion of World Habitat Day.

Executive Director Sharlene Weed noted that, "In 1985 the United Nations General Assembly declared the first Monday in October to be World Habitat Day. A day set aside to recognize the basic need for adequate shelter in a world where it is lacking for so many and to encourage grassroots action to address it."

Weed brought the international commitment down to the local level.

"Locally, here in Sisters, we all know someone who is struggling due to lack of good housing," she said. "We know people who are homeless, living in their cars, families that are doubled up in one household, families living in dilapidated, unsafe housing - families who struggle with making rent payments that are more than half of their incomes.

"In Sisters, over 250 volunteers work thousands of hours each year to bring good housing to our town.  In Sisters we have provided housing opportunity to 51 families since 1991. And today in just a few minutes...we will break ground on the 52nd home."

That home will belong to Jeannie Sandecki, who wielded the golden shovel in the groundbreaking ceremony.

Weed used the occasion to urge action from the city of Sisters: "A couple years ago a Housing Plan was created by the City of Sisters. The plan contains a number of strategies and action items to help create housing that is affordable to all our citizens.  Today, we invite local officials to recognize the need and importance of good housing that is affordable to our citizens and we ask them to dust off that plan and begin implementing it."