And many homeowners and renters are turning to nonprofit groups after failing to qualify for government aid.Habitat for Humanity is spending $80,000 per house that it builds. That's a pretty impressive figure. Perhaps Habitat should be put in charge of rebuilding homes along the Gulf Coast. Not only do they demand sweat equity from prospective owners, but they are looking to rebuild communities, not just individual homes.
"We've been swamped" with inquiries, said Ken Meinert, senior vice president for Habitat for Humanity's Operation Home Delivery project, which is rebuilding 1,000 houses along the coast with the $80 million it has raised. It hopes to raise additional money to build another 1,000 residences.
Catholic Charities USA hopes to build 5,000 housing units for the poor in New Orleans, some of it on church-owned land, leveraging its money with loans and grants, said the Rev. Larry Snyder, chief executive of Catholic Charities.
The group has so far disbursed $58 million of the $142 million it collected to 76 Catholic Charity agencies and other organizations in 29 states for counseling, job placement and housing.
New Orleans resident Tyler Jones, 45, who lost everything in the storm, said Catholic Charities provided his family with medical care, money for clothes, counseling and other support to get their lives back on track. "They restored my faith and my hope by helping me," said Jones, a New Orleans sheriff's deputy.
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