Habitat for Humanity of Richland & Crawford Counties is looking for a contractor to build two new homes, but these will not simply repeat the organization’s previous projects.
The nonprofit is seeking proposals for new single-family houses on Sherman Avenue in Shelby and Wiley Avenue in Crestline. Both will use the same newly developed floor plan and will be among the first local Habitat projects built around a greater emphasis on energy efficiency, durability, indoor air quality and lower long-term operating costs.
The approach reflects a broader definition of affordable housing: not just keeping the purchase price within reach, but reducing what homeowners have to spend on the house after they move in.
A Different Kind of Habitat House
The plans call for several features more commonly associated with high-performance residential construction. Those include tighter building-envelope standards designed to limit unwanted air leakage, continuous mechanical ventilation with heat recovery and cold-climate air-source heat pumps. Interior materials will also be selected with the homes’ overall performance and indoor environment in mind. That matters because the cost of homeownership extends well beyond a mortgage. Heating and cooling bills, repairs and replacement of building systems can become substantial household expenses, especially for families working within limited budgets.
One Contractor Could Build Both
Habitat is seeking residential contractors capable of working not only with designers and subcontractors, but also with Habitat staff, volunteers and the future homeowners themselves.
Experience in high-performance or airtight construction is preferred, although it is not an absolute requirement. Contractors without that background may submit proposals if they can demonstrate how they will meet the performance standards established for the houses.
Habitat would prefer to award both houses to a single contractor with enough capacity to keep both projects on schedule. The organization’s traditional model will remain part of the process. Volunteer labor and sweat-equity work by Habitat partner families will be incorporated into construction where appropriate. Habitat’s homeownership program requires participating adults to complete 180 hours of sweat equity, which can include construction work and homeowner education. Habitat of RCC
An October Deadline
The timetable is moving quickly.
The period for contractor questions closed September 25, and Habitat said it planned to issue clarifications on September 30. Completed proposals are due by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, October 7, with contractor selection targeted for October 12. Both houses are to be completed no later than August 31, 2027. Questions involving plans or construction requirements are being handled by Matthew Stanfield, principal architect with FiELD9: architecture. Proposal materials and bid information are available through Habitat’s RFP and bids section. Habitat of RCC
More Homes Are in the Pipeline
The Shelby and Crestline houses are part of a period of expansion for the local Habitat affiliate. Earlier this year, the organization publicly discussed four upcoming Habitat builds, including one in Shelby and two in Galion.
There is also new state support behind local affordable-housing construction. In May, the Ohio Department of Development announced that Habitat for Humanity of Richland & Crawford Counties would receive $200,000 through the Welcome Home Ohio program for the rehabilitation or construction of two homes. The award was part of a statewide round of $26.9 million in housing grants covering projects in 57 counties. GovDelivery
The organization’s latest plans suggest that its next generation of homes will be measured by more than the day the keys are handed over. The goal is to build houses that remain affordable to live in year after year, when utility bills arrive, heating systems run through an Ohio winter and the practical costs of homeownership begin to matter most.