DIY in L8 (2)

Habitat for Humanity in Liverpool was established in 2002 with a gift of 2 acres of land from the Catholic Church at the edge of the Granby triangle in Liverpool 8. Now renamed Housing People Building Communities, its aim has been to build 32 new houses on the site for people with a local connection who might otherwise not be able to afford to buy a home of their own

What is different about this venture is that it relies on the voluntary labour of the future residents, and others. In return for 500 hours of their labour on the site, the mortgages of the purchasers are reduced by £10k. They then have to be able to afford a mortgage on at least 50% of the remaining £100k purchase price, with any remaining equity taken up by Sanctuary Housing Association. The scheme also recruits other volunteers, many of whom are able to learn skills and trades as they work on the site. This means that there is only a need to employ a small site team, which in turn results in the low purchase costs.

This picture shows Ben Mpofu working on one of the timber clad houses which is now nearing completion. Ben is also the volunteer co-ordinator and has himself become one of the residents in one of the completed houses.

The scheme has won several awards, including 2 UK Housing Awards in 2014 and has had several high profile visitors, including Elvis Costello and the Harlem Globetrotters. But it has not been all plain sailing. In 2006, the first three homes which were at that time nearing completion were burnt down in an arson attack. They had to start all over again. And they did.