Graves donates land to Habitat

Longtime Madison veterinarian Dr. F.M. “Matt” Graves Jr. donated 2.4 acres of downtown Madison land to Madison County Habitat for Humanity recently.

“I just like what they are doing,” the 85-year-old Hebron Valley resident said. “They are getting people into a house.”

The land is located behind (west of) the Graves’ Madison Animal Clinic at 622 S. Main St. It faces Thrift Road a little south of the Madison American Legion Post 157 meeting hall.

The donated land has access to public water and has been approved for a septic system.

“We had sold the land off and had that piece that didn’t fit in. It was where they could get water and I knew they were looking for land and so we just donated it,” Graves said.

Graves added, “The water line comes right up the street. And it has been perked for a drainfield.” 

Madison County Habitat for Humanity President Lizabeth Smith said she couldn’t say how grateful she was for Dr. Grave’s donation.

“We are very excited about the location because it is close to town and close to the schools,” Smith said. “It is a nice piece of property. We really appreciated Dr. Graves’ generosity in donating it because it will make monies available for other property. We can always use property.”

The next step for Madison County Habitat for Humanity is to check with the zoning requirements on what can be built on the property, selecting a family and selecting house plans. 

Smith said they are hoping to possibly build a duplex on the land or maybe two houses on the land. It would be the 10^th Habitat house built in Madison County, but serve the 11^th family.

She said Habitat is looking for a family that would be qualified to live in a Habitat house.

Madison Habitat will be accepting applications for homeowner partners this month. Habitat homeowner partners are selected based on their need for simple decent housing, their willingness to fulfill at least 250 hours of sweat equity toward building their Habitat home and future Habitat homes in Madison County, and their ability to repay a no-interest mortgage on their home.

The income guideline for a family of four is $19,300-$32,150 and it is likely that in order to be able to afford a 30-year mortgage if a homeowner has an income at the lower end of the range, they would need to contribute the property that their home would be built upon. To be eligible, a homeowner must currently be living in a bad housing situation without any conventional means for improvement such as:  rental assistance, bank loans, or low interest government loans.  For information, e-mail madisonhabitat@gmail.com or call Sue Berry at (540) 543-2580.

Smith asked that any volunteers who are interested in the building process to contact Madison Habitat as well.

“We are looking forward to getting another house under way and anyone who is interested in the building process, we are always interested in having people come,” Smith said.

“We are enjoying working more closely with Greene, Orange and Culpeper Habitats.”

Smith added, “We are so appreciative of his donation to improve the availability of housing in Madison County where there is a huge need. The only thing holding us back from building more houses is more land. We can certainly use that.” 

Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat equity) into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans.

The group has its meetings at 7 p.m., the first Tuesday of every month, at Madison United Methodist Church at 505 S. Main St. in downtown Madison.

For information, call (540) 543-2580.