The Northeast Florida Builders Association is No. 1.
NEFBA and HabiJax completed 30 homes during last month’s week-long building blitz, a national effort to build 400 homes by Habitat for Humanity International.
NEFBA and HabiJax built more homes than any other local affiliate in the country during the week-long blitz and now NEFBA has built more than 200 HabiJax homes.
The homes were built in McNair Park Villas, a HabiJax community built on the 51-acre site of the former Brentwood public housing complex. It is adjacent to a public elementary school and park.
HabiJax was selected by the Jacksonville Housing Authority to be the construction partner for 94 single-family homes on 18 acres of the site.
Each McNair Park Villa will feature amenities including a dishwasher; disposal; microwave; tile floors; enlarged kitchen pantry; upgraded insulation; upgraded AC equipment; and 30-year roof shingles.
In addition to the HabiJax homes, the JHA will provide 228 multifamily apartments, a 100-unit senior living facility and a new community center that will house a medical facility and Head Start Center. The Boys & Girls Club will build and operate on nearby property the Youth Education Town Center, using funds from the National Football League in honor of Super Bowl XXXIX.
Twenty-two NEFBA builders completed 30 HabiJax homes during the blitz week.
NEFBA members Coastal Construction, Florida Rock, The Haskell Company, Lumber Unlimited and St. Joe Company were among the corporate house sponsors. Other NEFBA members were sponsors and donated materials and labor. Greg Matovina of Matovina & Company and past NEFBA president coordinated the builders’ activities during the blitz.
HabiJax’s local effort was part of a national blitz that was designed to provide housing for more than 1,000 people in 130 locations that same week. Habitat for Humanity estimates that more than 400 homes would be built during the week.
Mary Kay O’Rourke, president of HabiJax, and Kevin Campbell, Habitat for Humanity director, welcomed guests and hosted the event.
“When a family moves into a new home, it is customary to present them with gifts to help them settle into their home,” O’Rourke said. “We present a gift basket to each partner family with gifts that represent our wishes for them.”
In addition, a house blessing was conducted at each home, if desired by the homeowner.
NEFBA builder partners
Twenty-two NEFBA builder members built 30 homes during the early June HabiJax building blitz: