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Habitat for Humanity makes waves for new homeowners

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Two new families are moving into the New Waves neighborhood in southeastern Leelanau County. The Habitat for Humanity project welcomes Misty VanderMeulen and Jedidiah Spiers and their three children, and Khan and Razma Totakhil and their five kids, with a dedication ceremony Oct. 10. For the Totakhil family, dealing with road construction would be only a minor inconvenience. Their journey to their new home began more than 7,000 miles away. Khan worked with the U.S. military in Afghanistan, and when the Americans left in 2021, he was able to get a visa. He says the opportunity for a better life for his family was the overriding factor in leaving his home country.

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Habitat holds New Waves phase two celebration

Six Habitat families are already enjoying the benefits of homeownership in the New Waves community. Beyond expectations, the New Wave homeowners have developed meaningful relationships and created a stronger community than simple structures can build. Visit our website, GlenArbor.com, for a link to hear their story. The second phase of seven additional Habitat homeownership houses are being built now. Habitat for Humanity would like to invite the community to celebrate at an old-fashioned ice cream social on Thursday, June 12, at 4 pm with an opportunity to learn about and tour these additional New Waves homes.

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Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on home for single mom

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On Wednesday, June 5, Habitat for Humanity will join Haley Ball and her family to dedicate the land where their new home be built at the New Waves site on the corner of M-72 and Bugai Road in Elmwood Township. Ball is a single mother of two, with a daughter in elementary school and a preschooler. In 2022, their small family needed to very quickly transition from their family home to a safe and stable environment.

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New Waves, Habitat collaboration breaks ground

The long-awaited New Waves project on Bugai Road at M-72 is breaking ground. The much-anticipated affordable housing collaboration between Habitat Grand Traverse Region and New Waves United Church of Christ is a reality. The basic site work and roads are in place, and on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 3 pm shovels will break ground for the first homes to be built.

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Habitat for Humanity builds energy-efficient homes in Maple City

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One of three duplex units at Maple City Crossings—Habitat for Humanity’s affordable housing project in the middle of Leelanau County—is complete and will welcome homeowners within the next few months. All homes at Maple City Crossings boast energy efficient electric heating and cooling systems, thanks in part to a $5,000 Energize Challenge grant that Habitat for Humanity received in November 2022 from Leelanau Energy.

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Investing in clean energy, from Washington, D.C., to Leelanau

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The U.S. Senate has passed its historic climate change legislation, and the House of Representatives is expected to soon follow suit and send to President Biden to sign the bill. The political victory comes not a moment too soon, with a rapidly warming planet striking communities with one climate-related disaster after another. Leelanau County, too, is enjoying the momentum of the clean energy movement. Earlier this summer, Leelanau Energy launched its “Energize Leelanau Challenge” initiative to locate clean energy or energy efficiency projects in the county that are shovel-ready and that benefit communities, and help fund them with seed money totaling between $250 and $15,000 per project.

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Maple City welcomes homes, not budget box stores

Here’s an affordable housing success story in Leelanau County. Habitat for Humanity broke ground Nov. 16 on three duplex units that, as soon as a year from now, will house six families at the Maple City Crossings development at the corner of Maple Street and Western Avenue. Kal Excavating is preparing the two-acre parcel for the project.

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Habitat for Humanity Leelanau County celebrates 30 years

This is the 30th anniversary of the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. Help revitalize Habitat in Leelanau County by coming to St. Rita’s Rectory in Maple City, 6:30 PM, Wednesday, April 27. Habitat is an ecumenical Christian Housing Ministry that works with all people of goodwill to build and repairs decent homes in a partnership between people in need and those with the time, treasure and talents to help. We will plan renovations for 2016 and home construction in 2017. Refreshments will be served. Contact John at 231-228-6603 or john.oneill31@yahoo.com for more info or if you’d like to volunteer but can’t attend.

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A place called home: Paths to affordable ownership in Leelanau

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Leelanau County has long been known as “the land of delight,” but for many of its people, the terrain leading to a place called home appears more difficult. For at least the past 25 years, homes and land have been bought and sold dearly, but a confluence of circumstances has brought the issue of affordable housing to a crisis state today. These include the start of the Great Recession in 2008, a severe tightening of lending practices, a lack of permanent, full-time jobs in a growing tourism and service region, and the refusal of government and some community leaders to recognize and act on long-term solutions to the county’s housing challenges.

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Loving fresh food at Glen Lake and Leelanau School

On a typical school day during the growing season, food service directors at both Glen Lake School and The Leelanau School are serving up as many locally grown, fresh ingredients as their budgets and time allow. They’re also teaching students to cook and, with the help of faculty, familiarizing them with the sources of their food.

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