Upper Cumberland Habitat for Humanity beginning work on the first of six new affordable homes in Smithville.
Executive Director Jeremy Byrd said the project includes four homes on Wade Street and two homes on Hayes Street. Byrd said the organization originally believed the Wade Street property could only accommodate two houses, but a survey determined the land could be subdivided into four lots.
“It’s not going to make a huge numerical impact in the community, but for those six families and for their extended networks of family and friends, it’s going to be life-changing,” Byrd said. “To be able to have stable housing, they can focus on improving other areas of their home.”
Byrd said the Smithville Planning Commission recently approved the final subdivision plat for the Wade Street property located behind the Dairy Queen. Byrd said the next step involves registering the plat with the Register of Deeds office once all local signatures are obtained.
“The commission saw it, reviewed it and said, ‘Yeah, that meets all the criteria and requirements’ and very graciously worked with us on that,” Byrd said. “And so we’re going to be able to put four new houses there on Wade Street.”
Byrd said construction on the first home is expected to begin in October on Hayes Street. Byrd said the organization is currently weighing whether to build the homes one at a time or to have multiple constructions underway simultaneously.
“We have identified our first partner family there in Smithville since the merger,” Byrd said. “And that house will begin construction, we believe, in October, is when we will be breaking ground on that new house and that will be on one of the lots on Hayes Street.”
Byrd said the need for affordable housing is increasing as the population of the four counties served by the organization is projected to reach 176,000 by 2030. Byrd said the organization is working to develop new partnerships to build more houses than it has historically to meet this growing demand.
“The income needed to purchase a median-priced home in the state of Tennessee is $131,000 per year,” Byrd said. “Also, we know that in the state of Tennessee, for every one house that is for sale that is affordable to low or moderate-income buyers, there are 22 families in line for that one house.”
Byrd said the homes will be built to specific standards, including 2×6 exterior walls or prefabricated concrete walls. Byrd said while utilities are already in place at the sites, some lines may need to be rerouted before construction can begin on certain lots.
“There are just so many different areas of the community that are impacted by new homeowners that it’s almost unquantifiable,” Byrd said. “Studies show that people who are homeowners in a community have a greater pride of homeownership, they get more involved in civic duties, responsibilities, school systems generally are impacted by that.”
Byrd said the project was made possible by the fundraising efforts of the DeKalb County community prior to the merger. Byrd said the organization hopes to close on the first Smithville home in June or July of next year.
