Tulsa's Habitat For Humanity Celebrates Milestone

Sunday, January 28th 2007, 5:22 pm

By: News On 6

Habitat for Humanity reaches a milestone in Tulsa; the non-profit group dedicated its 150th home in the area Sunday. News on 6 reporter Chris Wright has more on the latest Habitat homecoming.

It's taken more than a dozen years for Habitat for Humanity to build 150 homes in Tulsa, but the organization, which is determined to revamp entire neighborhoods, says this is just the beginning.

Sundayâ€™s Habitat for Humanity dedication resembled the previous 149 in Tulsa. A number of speakers addressed the crowd before handing over the keys to the overjoyed homeowner.

"I don't know what to say, I'm just happy," said new homeowner Lashonna Belcher.

Organizers say the dedication ceremonies are always special, but Sunday's marked an especially significant milestone. They feel this house, the 150th built by Habitat in Tulsa, is symbolic of both what the charity has accomplished, and what it plans to do in the future.

"It's good news and bad news,â€ said Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Gary Casteel. â€œOur goal for the year 2025 is 1,500 new houses, so we're only ten percent there."

The Tulsa chapter of Habitat hopes to one day build and donate as many as 75 homes a year in the city, possibly reconstructing entire neighborhoods.

Of the 150 homes built in the Tulsa area, 28 have been constructed in North Tulsa in the Ben Franklin neighborhood. The organization plans to build at least 14 more in the area.

"The Habitat homeowners, along with other homeowners, are making a difference,â€ Casteel said. â€œHome ownership in this neighborhood was at best 50 percent when we got here, and now it's up to 76 percent."

Habitat for Humanity believes when you place more homeowners in a neighborhood, it will inevitably become safer and more secure.

Lashonna Belcher is Ben Franklin's newest homeowner, and like most of the 149 before her, who have been helped by Habitat, she says the experience has been nothing short of life changing.

"I'm feeling real good, feeling like a homeowner right now, feeling good," Belcher said.

Habitat for Humanity is waiting for several demolition orders to go through, but it plans on beginning construction on several more homes in the neighborhood.