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Habitat for Humanity leader discusses proposed Parkersburg budget revision

By Evan Bevins 5 min read

PARKERSBURG - A representative of Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley said she's encouraged after talking with a representative of the City of Parkersburg about a proposed reallocation of nearly $300,000 in unused federal housing funds designated for their organization.

"We'll continue to meet and see what might be possibilities," said Robin Stewart, executive director of the organization. "We all want the same thing, which is to have more affordable housing."

The revision is on the agenda for tonight's Parkersburg City Council meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. in council chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building.

Habitat, described on the local group's website as a Christian ministry dedicated to eliminating inadequate housing, is the designated Community Housing Development Organization for the Parkersburg-Wood County HOME Consortium, which administers federal HOME funds for not only the city but all of Wood County. By law, the consortium must designate at least 15% of its annual allocation to a CHDO. Habitat is the only eligible one here.

But allocations of $86,000, $100,000 and $100,000 from fiscal years 2021, 2022 and 2023 have not been used. So the administration proposed, and Parkersburg City Council's Finance Committee forwarded to the full council, a budget revision sending the money designated for Habitat for those fiscal years to a proposed effort to construct up to four affordable houses on Urban Renewal Authority property. With $382,142.71 from a rental property rehabilitation program that received no applications that met its requirements, there would be $668,142.71 for the initiative, if the revision is approved by council.

During the Sept. 15 Finance Committee meeting, city officials cited expenditure deadlines for federal funds when discussing the revision. But Development Director Ryan Barber clarified Monday that the federal government waived expenditure deadlines for HOME funds a few years ago.

"Because Habitat has accrued five years worth of grant allocations and no project that's shovel-ready, we've determined that they're untimely," he said.

A requirement that the city cannot have more than 1.5 times its annual allotment on hand by May 2 mentioned in a previous article applies to federal Community Development Block Grant funds, not HOME dollars.

Stewart said the organization was not aware of some of the issues mentioned by officials in the Finance meeting. She said Habitat does not draw HOME funds until they are actually in a contract to start construction on a house.

Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce said during last week's Finance Committee meeting that the proposal is not intended to reflect negatively on Habitat.

Stewart said she reached out to Barber to get more information after the "initial disappointment" of hearing about the proposed funding shift. Their discussion helped clarify reasons for the change and the relationship going forward, she said.

"I feel like the partnership between us and the city is going to continue," Stewart said. "That's not in jeopardy."

There is still $120,000 in HOME funding allocated to Habitat, which she said would "help us build the next house."

As for the rate at which Habitat is completing projects, they finished construction on houses in Wood County in 2024 and 2025 and also rehabbed a house in Parkersburg and sold it to a qualifying low-income buyer, said Lisa Collins, director of development and communications for the local Habitat organization. They have also funded about 20 minor home repairs to maintain houses instead of solely building new, Stewart said.

Habitat started construction on a new house in Wood County in April, but that is not utilizing HOME funds because all the requirements could not be met, Collins said.

They also completed two houses in Washington County in 2024 and 2025. While they try to distribute their efforts evenly between Wood and Washington counties, the locations are ultimately chosen based on where the applicants want to live, Collins said.

"The cost of construction has slowed us down on the number of houses we can do each year," she said.

Collins noted material prices had increased by 30% as of two years ago and that's expected to increase. But she said the houses are not sold at the full value to homeowners, something volunteer labor, donated materials and sponsorships make possible.

"We feel like we are using that money extremely efficiently," Collins said. "There's really not anywhere else that they can get a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house for $160,000 and a zero percent mortgage."

Habitat is working to vet different building styles to find ways to deliver quality housing and meet the needs of the community, Stewart said. Among the approaches being considered are shared walls and modular structures.

"As the construction industry is evolving, we would be evolving with it," Stewart said.

Also on the agenda for tonight's council meeting:

* The first reading of an ordinance establishing rates for renting all or portions of the new activity and recreation center in City Park.

* A resolution naming the center the Simms Powell Pavilion, in honor of a council member who advocated for the establishment of the park.

* The final reading of an ordinance vacating a portion of Seventh Street between Juliana and Ann streets.

* The first reading of an ordinance amending the city's rules for golf carts.

* A resolution allocating $10,000 from opioid settlement fund money to the Wood County 4-H Leadership Association.

* A resolution allocating $80,848.20 in Community Development Block Grant funds to the city's minor and emergency home repair programs.

Council will convene after the meeting as the Urban Renewal Authority, with an agenda including designating potential sites for the proposed affordable housing initiative; a decision on what to do with structures at 1748, 1750, 1752 and 1810 Seventh St.; and a review of the authority's policies and procedures.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

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