Comment
Print
Rutherford Housing Partnership (RHP) celebrated its 30 year anniversary recently, marking a significant milestone in its mission to provide safe and affordable housing for Rutherford County residents.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the new RHP-owned duplex apartment in Spindale in conjunction with RHP's Housing Matters program.
The purchase of the duplex was made possible through RHP's partners; The Stonecutter Foundation, Dogwood Health Trust, The Town of Spindale, Foothills Regional Commission HUD Home Program and Gateway Wellness Foundation. The rental payments will go toward other RHP projects, said Executive Director Michael Lewis.
"This is another important step in our mission to improve the quality and increase the supply of safe, affordable housing for low income residents of Rutherford County," Lewis said.
He said the duplex stands as a testament to "what we can accomplish when vision, community and generosity come together. Today we don't just cut a ribbon - we open the door to hope, stability and opportunity for the families who will soon call the duplex home," Lewis said.
The apartments were built by Cardinal Homes and placed on property, "what once was two blighted houses has become a home and with it, the promise of a brighter future," said Lewis.
Introducing former executive director Nell Bovender who also spoke at the anniversary ribbon cutting, Lewis said, "RHP would not be what it is today without the vision, perseverance and compassion of those who came before us." Bovender was RHP executive director from 2002 to 2020.
"I feel like a proud grandmother...seeing the fruits of the seeds that were planted so long ago. I know Billy (Honeycutt) too, is proud," Bovender said as she stood in the living area of the apartment, as she remembered a founder of RHP. (Honeycutt passed away in 2023) two years prior to the opening of the apartment.
Honeycutt served as Board President of RHP for several years. As a board chair Honeycutt and other RHP staff and volunteers traveled to a Cardinal Homes building site. When they returned, Honeycutt told the board it would be delighted with the home and encouraged the purchase of the home.
"A little over 30 years ago, the late Rev. Billy Honeycutt answered a call for help," Bovender told the ground breaking group. Yokefellow Service Center was receiving more and more calls from low-income homeowners who needed home repairs, and that was not a service Yokefellow provided, Bovender explained. The assembled group went to work, and in 1995, Rutherford Housing Partnership was incorporated to provide urgently needed repairs to the homes of low-income homeowners.
RHP was modeled after Habitat for Humanity and volunteers would provide the labor and the organization would raise the funds.
"Housing in this county was old; the needs were many," Bovender said. "The community responded, funders responded and for 30 years, RHP has worked to improve housing in this county."
In 2010, the RHP board decided to act on another housing need that was evident: repairs to substandard rental housing. Beginning with a couple donated houses that RHP repaired, adding others that became available, RHP began a small rental arm of the nonprofit, Bovender explained.
"So that gets us to the project we're focusing on in Spindale - a brand new duplex for rent for moderate-income households," Bovender said. She was approached in 2018 by Jim Cowan from the Stonecutter Foundation.
Let's talk about Spindale," the Foundation's leader told Bovender.
"This wonderful new trail ran right through the middle of town," he told Bovender referring to the Thermal Belt Rail Trail and he wanted to help improve the appearance of the nearby housing, much of which was abandoned and unsafe.
A group included the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, Spindale Town Manager Scott Webber, County Planner Danny Searcy, members of the RHP board, and local builder Jimmy Hooper. The goal was to build two additional houses in a neighborhood that included Habitat houses, bringing moderate-income households into the mix. RHP secured housing that needed to be torn down, providing lots for more Habitat houses.
The Spindale project took off, eventually coming to the attention of the new Dogwood Health Trust and Gateway Foundation, as a model for other communities - combining cooperation between nonprofits and municipalities, between volunteers and funders.
Tricia Wheat, RHP's program manager said in the past 30 years more 2,200 repairs have been made to homes in Rutherford County. "RHP serves about 30 homes a month and some of the homes may have one to five repairs," she said.
Wheat and Lewis are among eight staff members who work to serve the people of Rutherford County. Most of the staff are hands-on construction and repair workers on the job sites each day. Veteran Home Services contracts with RHP for much of the work.
Home repairs can be as simple as installing a door to building ramps, installing new floors, windows, plumbing repairs and electrical work; repairing a roof or completely roofing a home, painting, building walls and installing new bathroom fixtures.
When Hurricane Helene devastated so many homes in Rutherford County, RHP and Habitat for Humanity continued their work together to repair the homes. The two nonprofits have received over $1 million for hurricane damage. Anyone with hurricane damage may contact RHP (828-248-3431, ext. 100) to inquire about repairs
"We've have never done the capacity of repair work we are doing today," Wheat said.
Under the umbrella of RHP is the Women Roofers that began with a Sunday School class project as only two women showed up to help Rev. Honeycutt.
In an RHP video, Honeycutt talks about an elderly woman who got a new roof through the Women Roofers and RHP.
The homeowner told Honeycutt after the roofing job was completed, "I'll be able to sleep tonight. I won't get wet."
An emotional Honeycutt said in the video, "that means a lot to know you have been able to change that situation for someone. A simple thing yet, it made a big difference. It has to make our community stronger...that this is a way to invest your life."
RHP estimates at least 170 homes will be repaired this year.
The need for safe, secure housing continues, as does the dedication.
