COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT

Habitat Committee’s Tenth Birthday Has it Seeing Double

By Ruth E. Piller

It’s the Habitat for Humanity Committee’s tenth birthday this year. But rather than passing out cake, committee members will be passing out hammers, nails and solicitation letters, in hopes that their fellow HBA members will help achieve an unprecedented goal: the building of two Habitat for Humanity homes in one year.
The goal would double the work of the committee, which has built seven houses in the past nine years, said committee co-chair Nancy J. Brown. A partner at Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, Brown chairs the Habitat for Humanity Committee with HBA immediate past president Randall O. Sorrels, a partner at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Matthews & Friend. “This is a special thing for the tenth anniversary,” Brown said. “It’s a very ambitious goal, but we believe we can do it with everyone’s help.”
To attain its goal, the committee must raise $55,000 in building materials for each of the two houses, she said. The entire $110,000 must be raised by January 31, 2007 to secure final approval of the construction projects, which would start in the spring. Historically, less than 2 percent of the HBA’s membership has donated the money to purchase the materials for a single house, Brown said. “So what we want to do is enlarge that group,” she said. “We would like every single member of the Houston Bar Association to contribute in some way at some level. If everyone could make a contribution, we would make our goal.”
Brown said that in addition to looking to individual attorneys for donations, the Habitat for Humanity committee, which comprises about 25 members, will encourage firms to solicit donations from their attorneys and staff.
Brown, who participated in the HBA committee’s home construction last year, said it takes about six volunteer days to complete the committee’s portion of work on a new house. The HBA volunteers typically do much of the work outside the house, while Habitat for Humanity personnel complete electric, plumbing and other specialized work inside the house. The HBA committee members serve as volunteer coordinators during the construction, and a national Habitat for Humanity employee supervises the construction, as well, she said.
The committee began work on last year’s house in April and finished its involvement by early summer; the house was dedicated in September. Brown helped install windows, doors and insulation last year, and she also helped with the roof. “I was so impressed with all the volunteers who came out, who worked so hard. The best part was working alongside the homeowner to be,” she said. “I was impressed with how skilled she was. She was beside me putting up the installation ... It was just a neat feeling to know she was working on her own house and to visit with her and to see her excitement.”
The homeowners, who are selected by the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, are not given the homes as gifts. On the contrary, they sign notes and pay mortgages that vary in length from seven to 30 years. The homes are more affordable than most, however, because no profit is included in the sale price. Further, according to the Habitat for Humanity International Web site, “In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor -- sweat equity -- into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.”
Although it is only her second year on the HBA committee, Brown was on the board of the Fort Bend County Habitat for Humanity chapter for six years. “Some people have been familiar with Habitat for Humanity for years and strongly believe in the way it works. Others are just now learning about it and it’s something that most people find exciting,” Brown said. “It’s not a handout, it’s a hand up.”

For more information or to donate money or volunteer for the construction, contact Nancy Brown at (713) 276-5500 or Randy Sorrels at (713) 222-7211.

Ruth E. Piller is a shareholder at Hays, McConn, Rice & Pickering, P.C., where she practices civil appellate and trial law. She is a former editor in chief of The Houston Lawyer and serves on its editorial board.

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