Habitat for Humanity Comes to IB: Ground Broken on Four-Home Project

Sometime in the next few years, four families will be paying about $750 a month to live in new two-story, three-bedroom homes on Florida Street just south of Palm Avenue.

The 1,350-square-foot homes are thanks to Habitat for Humanity, the international group famously supported by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn.

According to KPBS.org, San Diego Habitat for Humanity broke ground on the Imperial Beach project Wednesday, beginning a 12-month project that will result in new single-family homes for low-income people in Imperial Beach.

Thanks to a $500,000 grant from the Imperial Beach Housing Authority, the local chapter of Habitat will be able to sell the homes for $269,000 via 30-year zero-interest loans, city records say.

KPBS quoted Diana Twadell, a board member of San Diego Habitat, as saying of buyers: “They are people who are typically low-income, but they are steadily employed. They have to have good credit."

Imperial Beach Mayor Jim Janney told KPBS: “In this case we're standing on an empty lot, and we’re going to be able to provide four homes for it," he said.

According to the city agreement (attached), Habitat will add adjacent off-site improvements to the 10th Street and Donax Avenue frontages.