Florida Homeowners Sue Habitat for Humanity
A tip o' the hat to my good friend Mark for sending this link my way. Homeowners in a Florida neighborhood are suing Habitat for Humanity for building them a house they say is substandard and contains mold and other harmful substances. They are also upset because the development was built upon an old rubbish heap.
After I read the article my take away is that some people probably haven't maintained their homes properly and therefore, it is deteriorating. So instead of paying for proper maintenance they would rather sue and try and get more free stuff.
When will America learn? People are ungrateful and don't deserve free stuff because they don't know how to take care of what they're given. Sound familiar, Extreme Home Makeover?
5 comments:
I am not familiar with the circumstances of this case, and no one deserves a moldy home, but I am personally familiar with the Habitat affiliates here locally and so much time and so much supervision goes into the home built here that it is my experience these homes are better built than your standard starter home from a for-profit builder. Habitat's reputation is outstanding and no one should judge them solely by this lawsuit.
Really strange case... I haven't heard much about this society, I don't think we have something like this here in Canada. I believe the constructions were checked by local authorities, so there can't be a BIG problem. And when you have free house...ok, but if you have to chance to gain some money, why not to sue...? (ehm)
Take care
Elli
Actually, you're speculating a whole lot there, aren't you? Assuming that the problem is that the homeowners didn't take care of their homes? You have no proof of that at all.
One of the major problems with Habitat is that they invite laypeople to become architects, engineers, and construction workers. You wouldn't have volunteers build you a car to drive, so it doesn't make much sense to have volunteers build you a home to live in. I have worked with Habitat and have a background in architecture, and unlike your previous commenter, have found that the organization's building standards -- and the results of them -- are far, far below that of a professionally built home.
People expect to be sold a home that will be durable, safe, and healthy... and they hope that it will appreciate in value. But if it falls apart and is built in such a way that makes the occupant sick (yes, buildings can very easily make people sick), then they've been sold a product that is not worth what they paid for it.
And yes, recipient families do pay for the houses. They pay a discounted, 0-interest mortgage. But they do pay.
@Julia - You obviously know much more about the inner-workings of Habitat than me. I admit that I am assuming some of the homeowners who are suing probably have not properly maintained their homes. And I think I'm right about this. Please prove me wrong and I'll accept it.
You say people "pay" for a Habitat home. If they can afford to "pay" for a Habitat home then why wouldn't they just get a regular home loan? Oh...because they can't get a regular loan and Habitat is their only option for homeownership unless they want to rent Section 8 housing.
Then to turn around and bash the organization that provided you that home is called being ungrateful.
Again, show me how these people properly maintained their homes and the home still deteriorated, etc.
I am familiar with habitat as well and I agree with you Jeff. The homes are built well and if they contain mold and things its from poor care.
Habitat hires contractors to work on the houses who oversee and train their volunteers on how to help construct the house. This is the same way it works on regular construction of houses. Not everyone is a professional or has experience when they start working on houses. And if something on the house is discovered to be inadequate then habitat fixes it for free! I personally helped habitat work on a roof that was leaking and they got a whole new roof done for free. Habitat insures the houses that they build for no extra cost.
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