Although there is not an abundance of buildable land in the Napa Valley, local low-income families still need affordable housing.

After four years of searching for Napa land, the staff at Solano Napa Habitat for Humanity is celebrating — they’ve found a place to build their first Napa home.

Local Habitat president Steve Brothers said the Napa lot was recently optioned at 1616 E St.

“Optioning is a right to purchase, contingent on accomplishing subdivision of the property, approval of the house we want to build, and raising the funds to purchase the land,” he said.

Brothers said part of the trouble with securing Napa land is its high value. According to Brothers, some landowners believe lots are donated to Habitat for Humanity, but in fact the organization raises money to buy land. He added there is plenty to accomplish before building begins — besides land acquisition, the organization must get permits and adequate donations and materials. Brothers also said local land acquisition is a challenge in Napa. He said the flood project has restricted access to or taken control of some usable land, and Napa County land use laws severely restrict growth outside city limits.

Linda Zablotny-Hurst, Solano Napa Habitat’s executive director, said the land for Napa’s E Street project was sold to the organization by a homeowner  willing to part with a portion of her lot. The new home will be built behind the homeowner’s residence and the lot meets the city’s requirement of a minimum of 5,000 square feet for building space, she said.

Zablotny-Hurst said Habitat was unable to get a discussion going with Napa housing leaders about the project.

“We have applied for a couple of grants in Napa, and were unfortunately not successful.”

Brothers said costs for the E Street home will total $350,000. “We are expecting $200,000 for the lot and $150,000 for entitlement, fees and construction costs. We want to subdivide it and build a house in the back. We’ve been looking for (Napa County) land for four years, and we’re excited to finally have a project.”

The house will be completed in one to three years.

The family chosen to buy the E Street home will provide “sweat equity,” meaning they will be asked to work during construction of the house. Sweat equity not only helps keep labor costs down, but also fosters a sense of accomplishment. “And as you would expect, people really have a bond with the house they built,” Brothers said.

Habitat success story

Olivia and Kenneth Hartley of Fairfield bought their home through Solano Napa Habitat five years ago. Kenneth, a teacher, and Olivia, a housewife, underwent a stringent application process before acquiring their home.

Olivia Hartley said the couple was one of 106 applicants for only four homes. From there, the elimination process began. Families with the greatest need were among the final 30 applicants, Hartley said. “We qualified (partly) because we’re a large family with 15 kids.”

After paring the number down to 30 applicants, families were interviewed again, and from that list came the final four who received homes. “We were so excited when we found out we got it. I never thought I’d own my own home,” Hartley said.

The Hartleys bought a home the previous owner couldn’t afford to keep — but the house was in serious need of repair — so the Hartleys rolled up their sleeves and began their hard work. They replaced sheet rock, painted the house, replaced carpeting, repaired the home’s windows and doors, and did a lot of heavy-duty cleaning. But their efforts, which lasted about a month, were worth it in the end, Hartley said.

Brothers said Habitat has another project in the works, and also tried to assist those displaced by the New Year’s Eve flood of 2005. Last year, he said, Solano Napa Habitat for Humanity collaborated with the Red Cross to repair local flood-damaged homes. “It turned out the Red Cross couldn’t come up with any families that fit our income criteria; everyone was above our low-income guidelines.”

Brothers said in addition to Napa’s E Street project, Habitat is getting involved with its international organization’s “Operation Home Delivery” — otherwise known as Home in a Box — by shipping framed and partially assembled homes to needy families throughout the hurricane-ravaged south, where building is completed.

The total cost of each “Home in a Box” is $75,000, Brothers said, adding that more than $5,000 has already been collected locally for the project. Similar to the Napa home project, families in the Gulf Coast region will pay an interest-free mortgage and provide sweat equity.