The Union-Snyder Habitat For Humanity of eastern Pennsylvania recently constructed a home that is not only the first to be completely donated to the local chapter, but is the first Habitat home to be built from modular components. Penn Lyon Homes Corp. of Selinsgrove, Pa. partnered with the local Habitat chapter and Keystone Financial, Inc. of Harrisburg, Pa. to build the three-bedroom modular home for a young couple with three children.
Keystone has lending subsidiaries that have recently begun to specialize in financing systems-built (modular, log and panelized) homes and donated $20,000 to this home. Penn Lyons Homes, a modular home manufacturer producing around 400 homes annually, teamed up with the banking giant through their respective memberships in the Buildings Systems Council of the NAHB. Together they saw the opportunity to bring the time and monetary savings of modular construction to Habitat for Humanity.
"It's very easy to work with a modular home," says Francis "Bucky" Allis, sr. vice president of Keystone Financial Bank, N.A. "Because of the speed of construction and minimal on-site work needed to build this home, the Union-Snyder chapter will have enough time to build another house this year."
Penn Lyons donated the time to coordinate materials for the house, factory and on-site installation, labor and crane costs. Roger Lyons, president and owner, said that to date, the house has received materials and cash donations from more than 50 corporations, manufacturers, suppliers and individuals. Keystone again pledged up to $15,000 in matching funds. The Buildings Systems Council is working to raise another $15,000 for Habitat for Humanity.
"This project is different from other Habitat homes because there is more of a national effort for a local house," says Lyons.
Components for the home were constructed in a factory and then shipped and installed on the home site in Penns Creek, Pa. The 1188 square-foot home sits on a full foundation and was completed in less than 6 weeks. The family moved in on May 15 of this year.
