Affordable Housing Awareness Week continues with open house at Habitat for Humanity’s Veterans Build site

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - In early June, Governor Mark Gordon proclaimed June 21-25 as “Affordable Housing Awareness Week.” Organizations like the Unaccompanied Students Initiative, Family Promise, COMEA Shelter, Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County and My Front Door have been hosting events all week.

This afternoon, representatives from the City, all eight credit unions in the community and other affordable housing focused organizations, attended an open house at Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County’s Veterans Build site to continue to spotlight the importance of affordable housing.

“Anytime we can get affordable housing built is a success. There is definitely a lack of affordable housing here in the community and we at the city are happy to work with developers, especially the nonprofits, on trying to find ways that we can make development happen,” said City of Cheyenne Planning and Development Director, Charles Bloom.

For Habitat for Humanity of LC Executive Director, Kate Wright, she said it means a lot to be able to have this much community support on their projects.

“We would not exist without the community, we would not exist without Laramie County. With the volunteers that come out that help build our homes, with the businesses that donate in kind donations, with our subcontractors who give us reduced rates, Habitat is owned by Laramie County, that’s what I like to say.”

The location of the gathering on Thursday is a part of the Veterans Build program. The location is also where Navy veteran, Thomas Redding, will soon be living. For Redding, it’s still emotional to think about all that’s come together to make this all real. He spoke about the moment he found out he was chosen by Habitat for Humanity.

“My heart about jumped out of my chest, cried like a baby, couldn’t thank enough people and I don’t know who else to thank. I thanked everybody I can, and I’m looking forward to being able to keep my job and my health, and being able to afford to keep my house.”

Blue Federal Credit Union, Cheyenne-Laramie County Employees Federal Credit Union, First Education Federal Credit Union, Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union, Nuvision Credit Union, UniWyo Federal Credit Union, Western Vista Credit Union and WyHy Federal Credit Union have all helped make the building of the new house possible. Many will also volunteer to help in the ongoing construction of the house.

Affordable Housing Awareness Week continues on Friday with My Front Door presenting on the economic benefits of affordable housing. For more information on AHAW, you can head to its website here.

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