[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 135 (Thursday, October 3, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND THE CARTER WORK PROJECT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 3, 2013

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with my colleagues Rep. 
Anna Eshoo, Rep. Sam Farr, Rep. John Garamendi, Rep. Michael Honda, 
Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Jerry McNerney, and Rep. George Miller, to 
express our most sincere appreciation to Habitat for Humanity and the 
Carter Work Project.
   For 30 years, former President Jimmy Carter and Mrs. Rosalynn Carter 
have spent a week a year on a building project with Habitat for 
Humanity. Their annual commitment to Habitat is called the Jimmy & 
Rosalynn Carter Work Project and brings attention to Habitat's work 
across the globe and in our local communities. This year the Carters 
are in Oakland and San Jose for the 30th annual event.
   President Carter first became involved with Habitat for Humanity in 
1984 when he used his carpentry expertise to help renovate an apartment 
building in New York City. Ever since, President Carter and Mrs. Carter 
have been building homes every year with Habitat. The Carters have 
built homes in New York, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, 
Wisconsin, Miami, D.C., South Dakota, Southern California, Tennessee, 
Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Mississippi, Louisiana, 
Maryland, Minnesota, and now in California.
   The Carters have also helped build homes abroad in Mexico, Canada, 
Hungary, Philippines, Korea, South Africa, India, Thailand, China, 
Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Haiti.
   The housing market in the San Francisco Bay Area continues to be 
among the least affordable in the United States. Less than half of 
families in the area can afford to buy a home and for low-income 
families it is nearly impossible. There is a strong need and demand for 
affordable housing in the Bay Area and the lack of affordable housing 
is damaging our communities. Our community needs strong solutions to 
this crisis.
   Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley has helped revitalize 
neighborhoods, build sustainable housing solutions, and assist families 
in becoming successful homeowners.
   Since 1986, Habitat has helped strengthen communities and empowered 
over 360 low-income families in Alameda, Contra Costa, and Santa Clara 
counties.
   Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley deals with the 
challenge of affordable housing by using volunteer labor and donated 
funds and materials to build affordable homes for families in need. 
These families contribute ``sweat equity'' by contributing hundreds of 
hours of labor in building their own homes.
   Habitat for Humanity helps build communities by strengthening 
neighborhood ties. Habitat recruits volunteers to help build its homes, 
with nearly 60,000 volunteers having contributed over one million hours 
to help build homes in the East Bay and Silicon Valley.
   These community-built homes are also sustainable and environmentally 
friendly. Habitat uses green design by taking into account energy 
efficiency, smart use of building materials, and water usage to better 
protect the environment and Habitat homeowners. Over 60 green homes 
have been built in the Bay Area using these environmentally-conscious 
building principles.
   We thank President and Mrs. Carter and Habitat for Humanity for this 
important work. We hope their legacy of public service will serve as an 
inspiration to others to support and serve their communities.

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