Hillview Homes has the right idea for community, housing
improvements
The recent opening of the Hillview Self-Help Homes project on
the west side shows that all sectors of the economy can work
together for a beneficial community effort.
Hillview Homes has the right idea for community, housing improvements
The recent opening of the Hillview Self-Help Homes project on the west side shows that all sectors of the economy can work together for a beneficial community effort.
The development of 25 homes was just the latest built through “sweat equity” – in which the low-income homeowners put in the brunt of the work in building them – while there are now more than 250 such houses in Hollister.
It makes sense for a variety of reasons.
From a community perspective, the neighborhood now is a bright spot for the west side, which has many areas that need significant blight reduction. Hollister itself has a serious problem with poverty. And such beautified, affordable units offer those hard-working, determined families the chance for a home they otherwise could not attain.
It also comes at a good time for the local economy suffering from high unemployment and foreclosures. There was an abundance of work done on the homes by local contractors. South County Housing Project Manager Seth Capron, at this month’s ceremony to commemorate the project’s completion, noted that there were 10 subcontractors from the county and others from surrounding areas, meaning there are additional dollars trickling back into the local economy, benefiting local businesses.
Additionally, the investment by South County Housing, the U.S. Rural Development program, the Hollister Redevelopment Agency and other organizations allows the homeowners to feel vested in the project, so it is more likely they will keep up the neighborhood’s clean look and ensure families have a safe, welcome place to live. There is ample proof that using this model for affordable development has a better chance for long-term sustainability, and it offers a big boost to the west side as a whole in efforts to reduce poverty and blight.
Perhaps most important, and a reflection of the modern, environmentally friendly times, the project emphasized the use of alternative energy and practices that will reduce the carbon footprint there. Each roof is covered by solar panels, passive solar allowing sun into the buildings, thicker walls with special insulation, high-efficiency furnaces, tank-less water heaters and other features.
This self-help project not only stands as an example of maximizing efficiency in affordable construction, but also a model for other, future developments in how they use alternative components and practices to reduce emissions.
