Habitat for Humanity Fights for Funds

Habitat for Humanity officials put pressure on legislators to help them build homes in Temecula.

Tammy Marine, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley, and Craig Evans, the vice president of the board of directors, went to Washington D.C. in February to talk to legislators, said Kristi Reedy, the organization's spokesperson.

They joined 100 other Habitat affiliates to urge elected officials to fund the Neighborhood Stabilization Project, which paid for three houses to go up in Temecula last year, she said.

The two officials sat through 150 congressional meetings, including those with the offices of Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. and U.S. Rep Brian Bilbray, R-Calif.

They discussed obstacles interfering with informational efforts in grief-stricken countries such as Haiti, the elimination of certain funds and a change that would let veterans apply for housing.

The officials welcomed the organization's leaders, but they won't know whether they had any effect on them until later this month, Reedy said.

"All four legislators were supportive of the proposed ideas that Marine and Evans offered on each topic," she said. "Like previous trips, Marine and Evans may not see the fruits of their labor for some time. There are ongoing international efforts to relieve the obstacles of infrastructure, transporting supplies and volunteers into Haiti. A vote for the elimination of services such as AmeriCorps is on the books for later this month."

Reedy said that with a few small changes to the existing bill, Marine and Evans hope American Veterans will qualify for affordable housing options such as those provided by Habitat for Humanity.

On the state level, Habitat for Humanity continues to advocate for issues that impact local communities directly, such as trying to stop the elimination of redevelopment agencies across of the state, Reedy said.

“I am proud of our advocacy position as a local affiliate," Marine said in a statement following her return from Capitol Hill.

"Habitat for Humanity International continues to lead the helm on these important issues while rallying representation from across the national in a fight to better serve families in need of a decent, safe place to call home.”

The trip was a follow-up to one Marine and Evans took a year ago during which they secured funds for 10 homes for the Neighborhood Stabilization Project. The program allowed the nonprofit to purchase, rehabilitate and sell homes to qualifying families in Southwest Riverside. Six of those 10 homes were in Murrieta, three were in Temecula and one in Perris.