Our church is planning to build a house in partnership with Habitat for Humanity on Sussex Dr., just south of the Southern Blvd. below Baptist South Hospital. The home is being built in partnership with homeowner Carla Surles. Carla is a wonderful Montgomery citizen. She drives a bus for a terrific organization, Montgomery Association for Retarded Citizens, and she works as a private sitter. This house will provide a stable home in a more stable neighborhood closer to her work. The house will improve an already stable and safe neighborhood, and it will provide a nice new home along a corridor fighting blight.
The church has raised all but the last bit of the $60,000 needed for the project. Carla has completed all the "sweat equity" hours she needs. We have begun scheduling volunteers and even pre-built some corners. Then we hit a snag.
The land the house will be built upon was owned by First UMC and was donated to Habitat for Humanity. HfH asked the church to build a house on the lot, and the church is doing everything for the build except finding the homeowner and managing the mortgage (yes, HfH homeowners pay a mortgage--it's a partnership, not charity). When we applied for the building permit we learned that the lot was zoned commercial instead of residential.
We thought this would be no problem and that the city council would grant a zoning change--could there possibly be a better reason to grant a zoning change? Instead, Councilor Cornelius "CC" Calhoun said that he wanted to delay the matter to give him time to make sure the the community wanted this house to be built there.
Though the delay makes things difficult for our work scheduling and the possibility of denial makes me nervous, I applaud Councilor Calhoun's dedication to representing his constituents and making sure he has the community's support before he makes a decision on their behalf. Since he is seeking the community's feedback, I would appreciate anyone who believes in this project contacting the appropriate city councilman and asking him to support this important ministry for the sake of the Carla Surles family.
For a list of Montgomery City Councilmen and their email addresses:
http://www.montgomeryal.gov/index.aspx?page=42
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