TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The air is thick with sawdust after a week of insanity in eastern Travis County. On Monday: concrete slabs in a mucky dirt field. On Thursday: homes stand atop those slabs.
Thousands of volunteers are responsible for the transformation. Brought to Central Texas as part of Habitat for Humanity’s 39th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Twenty-five new homes, three bed and two bath, seeing major construction in just a few short days.
One of those homes belongs to Skyler Korgel. A University of Texas graduate and legislative director for State Representative Lulu Flores, Korgel has worked with the organization since he was a boy. When it came time to buy a home, he signed up for a Habitat for Humanity home and was selected.
“It’s like the Longhorn dream to be able to own a home in Austin and be able to stay and put down roots in Austin,” Korgel said.
His home, on the corner of the project, built by volunteers from Wells Fargo and his co-workers. “It’s really special to me that they come out here and, you know, give a day of their time to help build my house,” he said.
A new green neighborhood
The homes are part of Whisper Valley, an eco-friendly community in eastern Travis County. All of the homes have solar power and geothermal heating systems, meant to reduce costs and save the planet.
“This is the first time we’ve used solar shingles, and it’s the first geothermal neighborhood we will be in,” said Michele Anderson, CEO of Austin Habitat for Humanity.
This project is a big one, with 25 homes now in various states of completion. “We’re really honored to be able to put three times as many homes out in the market than we’ve done in our history,” Anderson said.
More than a dozen of the homes are for sale. Anderson said the homes cost $235,000, lower than the Austin average.
The project wraps up Friday. Many of the homes still have work needed, but will be ready for homeowners to move in next spring.
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