Views from the Porch - June 2025 Enewsletter - Essex County Habitat for Humanity

Views from the Porch

June 2025 News

Team Institution for Savings

Golf Fore Homes

Thanks to the players, sponsors, committee members and volunteers who made the Golf Fore Homes golf tournament such a success! Together, we raised $60,000 in vital funds to support our mission of providing safe, affordable housing to families in need — and had a great time doing it!

Congratulations to the days winners:

1st Place Men's team was Team Institution for Savings

1st Place Women's team was Team Marengi

1st Place Co-ed Team was Team Ray

Longest drive went to Steve Crowley

Closest to the Pin was Mike Miller

50/50 Casino Hole went to Danny O'Neil

Grand Prize Raffle winner of the log cabin stay in New Hampshire was Krista McManus

The stocked Yeti Cooler went to Jeff Crumm

And the two sets of Red Sox tickets went to Andy Yablin and Jeff Crumm

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

Watts, North Shore Bank, Institution for Savings, Leslie S. Ray Insurance, MacMillan Electric, McLane Middleton, Sachetta, Salem Five Charitable Foundation, CSL Americas, The Rivera Krall Family Foundation, DeGeorge Home Improvements, O'Neil Fine Builders, Zam's Zingers, NorthEast Computer Services, Al Temkin Productions, John & Maureen Denison

Give today to support families in need

‘Still in a housing crunch’: Greater Boston’s slowdown in new home construction continues

The past two years have seen a slowdown in housing production in Greater Boston, as the number of new homes permitted has plummeted due to economic constraints.

After a surge in new apartments permitted in 2021 and 2022, housing production has fallen significantly as the economy has shifted. The two main drivers of that slowdown are rising construction costs and interest rates.

Construction costs surged during the pandemic and still have not returned to pre-pandemic rates, meaning the cost of materials needed for building is significantly higher than it was a few years ago.

The rise in interest rates starting in early 2022 has made it more expensive for developers. Nearly every step of the financing process — from buying the land, to securing a construction loan, to attracting equity — has become more complicated and expensive, driving project costs up.

It is only because of your ongoing support that Habitat is able to continue to build affordable housing in Essex County.

Boston Globe 5/30/25 and 7/5/24

Give today to support affordable housing

Thank you for your support

Many thanks to everyone who supported us on a build site or at the ReStore this past month. Below are just a few of those who did.

Andover Companies

We'd also like to recognize the following organization that offered its support:

Thank you to DeGeorge Home Improvements for donating an older truck from their fleet to Cars for Homes. What a great way for a company to support Essex County Habitat for Humanity!

If your company owns fleet vehicles, donating them through Cars for Homes creates needed housing in our communities. It’s easy – we pick up the vehicle and provide a receipt for tax donation purposes. Click here for more info.

Save the date for the Building Dreams Gala

Be sure to mark your calendar for the Building Dreams Gala: Thursday, October 16! We'll be switching things up a bit this year - it will be held at the stunning Ipswich Country Club. And we'll be celebrating our 40th Anniversary.

Tickets, sponsorships and program book ads are available now. For more information, click here.

Recent college grad?

The Habitat ReStore in Lawrence is the perfect place to find affordable new and gently used furniture, housewares, artwork, paint and so much more for a first apartment!

Check us out!

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