FirstService Residential, the Twin Cities’ leading property management company, returned again to volunteer for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity (TCHFH) with a new, larger group of participants.

On Friday, August 21, 25 volunteers from FirstService Residential, including Association Managers, leadership team members, accountants, construction managers, and administrative support staff, split up to work on two homes located on 15th Avenue South in Richfield, Minnesota. At one home volunteers installed flashing, brackets, and exterior trim, while at the other home volunteers installed siding, interior trim and baseboards, and made sheetrock repairs. This year’s tasks differed from last year when FirstService Residential volunteers were given the opportunity to help with finishing touches like cleaning floors, touching up paint, and preparing for move in on two homes in St. Paul.

During lunch break, which Potbelly’s Sandwiches donated, TCHFH educated FirstService Residential participants on the need for affordable housing in the Twin Cities and on candidate qualifications and requirements. Minnesota will need more than 51,000 new affordable homes by 2020, and one in eight Minnesota households spends more than 50% of their income on housing needs. Each family must be able to pay TCHFH’s 0% interest mortgage, complete 300-500 hours of ‘sweat equity’, finish 11 homeownership training classes, and be willing to partner with TCHFH. With over 250 families on the TCHFH waiting list, the combined qualified and deserving candidate pool for these two houses exceeded 130 families.

FirstService Residential Minnesota also made a monetary donation to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity as part of the company’s commitment to give $25,000 annually through the FirstService Residential Grants for Community Excellence in memory of Mel Gittleman. Primary interests for grants are in the areas of health and wellness, the environment, public spaces (playgrounds, parks), and various housing and cultural organizations. Throughout each year, the foundation will issue grants to five-to-seven organizations in and around downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, Twin Cities metro, and suburbs.

To implement and manage the grants, FirstService Residential works with the Minneapolis Foundation to award grantees money that will make a genuine difference, and coincides with the company’s general giving priorities in the Twin Cities’ communities the company serves.

About Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to eliminate poverty housing from the Twin Cities and to make decent, affordable shelter for all people a matter of conscience.  An award-winning nonprofit housing developer, Twin Cities Habitat is committed to building the quality of life, health and economic prosperity of the region by producing, preserving and advocating for affordable homeownership – because homes and families are the foundation of successful communities. More than 1,000 families have purchased a Twin Cities Habitat home since 1985. Since 1998, more than 1,700 homeowners have received home repairs through our A Brush with Kindness Program.
Aug 28, 2015