Fact sheet - Progress after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Habitat for Humanity’s hurricane-response program was implemented to help low-income, hurricane-affected families in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama build permanent housing. The program began immediately after Hurricane Katrina and expanded after Hurricane Rita.

Construction

• The first Habitat hurricane-response house began construction in early October 2005, just six weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit.
• The 500th hurricane-response home began construction in November 2006.
• The 700th hurricane-response home began construction in January 2007.
• More than 1,300 Habitat hurricane-response homes have been built or are under construction.
• Before the storms, 57 Habitat homes were constructed per year in the region – after the storms, 52 Habitat homes begin construction per month.
• Tens of thousands of volunteers have worked through Habitat for Humanity to carry out recovery efforts.

Partnerships

• Habitat is working with other organizations to help low-income families in the region.
• Habitat’s ongoing partnership with Church World Service is helping to fund the repair of 600 homes for low-income families over a three-year period.
• The Habitat for Humanity and Church World Service home-repair partnership was given the “Award of Excellence” by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (April 19, 2007).
• Habitat is working with The Salvation Army to increase building capacity, provide housing for volunteers and make homes along the Gulf Coast more affordable.
• Lutheran Social Services and other Katrina Aid Today consortium members are also actively engaged in helping families find appropriate housing solutions, including Habitat homes.
• Habitat volunteers have also helped remove debris and clean more than 2,500 homes in preparation for rehabilitation.

Additional facts

• The work in the Gulf Coast continues as Habitat continues to help families build homes in more than 1,600 communities across the United States and Canada, and in nearly 100 countries around the world.
• Habitat for Humanity was the first home builder to start construction in Mobile, Ala., after the storm. Work began in November 2005, and the first family moved into its new home in March of 2006.
• In mid-November 2006, just outside of Mobile, walls were raised on the milestone 500th Habitat for Humanity hurricane-recovery house.
• In 2006, New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity received 12 percent of all New Orleans permits for single-family residential new construction.
• To accelerate construction when subcontractors are in short supply and a large number of volunteers are difficult to assemble, Habitat for Humanity also uses modular homes.
• In 2006, some 1,500 volunteers ranging in age from 16 to 73 logged 10,500 hours building with Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West near New Orleans. As a result, 20 St. Tammany families celebrated Christmas in their own homes.
• On May 21 in St. Bernard Parish, La., Habitat for Humanity raised walls on its 1,000th hurricane-response home with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. Habitat also raised walls on its 1,001st home to signify the ongoing, long-term effort. The Carters also announced the Gulf Coast as the location of the 2008 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project where thousands of volunteers will help to build Habitat for Humanity homes.

Habitat for Humanity has built its infrastructure along the Gulf Coast and currently requires 1,000 volunteers per week. Volunteers can register and donations can be made online at http://www.habitat.org/gulfrecoveryeffort/default.aspx or by calling 1-800-HABITAT (422-4828).