Habitat to Hold Fundraiser for First Santa Monica Project

Constance Tillotson

Oct. 9 -- There's no place like home, especially if you build it yourself with help from your neighbors.

That's the sentiment volunteers for Habitat for Humanity hope will hit home when the affordable housing provider hosts a dinner Thursday at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel to raise money needed to break ground for the group's first Santa Monica project.

"People shouldn't have to choose to pay for rent or food," said Chloe Bird, a Habitat volunteer who has headed the effort. "Habitat is not a hand out. It's a hand up by working together with those in need.

"We have an opportunity to help those residing locally by working with low-income families to become homeowners and tax payers in the community," said Bird, a member of the City's Housing Commission.

In August, Bird successfully lobbied the City Council to grant a one-time waiver to the Consolidated Rental Housing Trust Fund to help bankroll a Homeownership Program sponsored by Habitat. This waiver will allow city funds to be used to purchase a Pico neighborhood lot that accommodates between six and eight affordable housing units.

A Santa Monica-based behavioral scientist, Bird was well versed in the numerous studies documenting the lack of affordable housing for low-income families in the Los Angeles area, when she decided a year ago to create a project that would benefit the community. Bird chose Habitat as her cause.

Habitat homeowners are required to invest 500 hours of "sweat equity" and provide a 1 percent down payment on their home. The purchase price does not exceed $75,000. Their loan is on a zero percent interest rate, and the mortgage payments are deposited directly into a "Fund for Humanity," which is solely used to build more homes.

Over the past ten years, Habitat L.A. has built approximately 85 homes in the Los Angeles area and is scheduled to build another 17 next summer.

Bird anticipates that the success of the "There's No Place Like Home" benefit will bring the needed donations that will help lay the foundation for building the Santa Monica project.

"There is going to be an incredible fine art silent action," said Bird. "The art alone is worth over $100,000. A Mercedes will be given away as the raffle prize capping at 1,000 tickets. Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock are providing the music."

The Habitat project represents what Bird sees as the cultural center that Santa Monica embodies.