'A transformative experience': Habitat for Humanity kicks off its 25th annual Blitz Build in Spokane Valley

On an empty patch of ground a mile from the Spokane County Fairgrounds, volunteers with Habitat for Humanity leveled clumps of dirt with heavy-duty rakes and cut two-by-fours with power saws to make way for 23 new homes.

As part of the Habitat's 25th annual Blitz Build, eager contributors will work as hard as they can and as fast as they can for the next two weeks to construct affordable dwellings.

Habitat welcomed not only community members and future homeowners to its 1.35-acre project, 228 S. Carnahan Road in Spokane Valley, but also corporate sponsors and businesses. Employees of Idaho Central Credit Union, under the guidance of returning volunteers, took to cutting pieces of plywood once the clock struck 8:45 a.m. Wednesday.

Michelle Girardot, the CEO of Spokane's Habitat for Humanity, said all the returning volunteers are "die-hard Habitat-ers." And while it's a different job site each year, Girardot said the experience is the same.

For the last 24 years, Randy Anderson has been a constant at every Blitz Build event. A retired mine geologist who used to work in silver mines in Coeur d'Alene, Anderson said the first event he participated in had a big turnout, had three separate shifts each day and built six houses in two weeks.

"I was kind of going through the middle-aged crazies and wanted something to do," he said. "So I came out and they put me to work building things."

Anderson said he loves the camaraderie and the range in skill, from "finger beaters like me to some real skilled carpenters," he said.

"It's a good organization," Anderson said. "It's faith-based, and I like it, because I get to use their tools. If it's a good tool, then I keep it, and if it's not, then I don't buy that tool."

While Anderson, who's volunteered for Habitat since 1995, is one of the most experienced volunteers, there are some young faces new to the scene.

Ayden Peterson, 16, and Levi McCoy, 17, are two students who participate in the Youthbuild program.

"It helps you get your GED, and it'll help you with a whole bunch of learning experiences," Peterson said of the program. "It'll get you a job later on in life."

Youthbuild lets high schoolers get hands-on experience and develop trade skills. Peterson said he isn't sure what he wants to do for a living, but McCoy has set his sights on becoming an EMT. The skills they learn on jobs provide an abundance of value by exposing them to a variety of skills and trades about which they might not otherwise have known. An added benefit: This alternative form of schooling doesn't require the pair to spend eight hours a day behind a desk.

Depending on the day, Peterson and McCoy will help build affordable housing or assist in renovating community spaces. Sometimes the renovation work is as simple as mowing the lawn. Other times, the work is harder.

"Youthbuild is an incredible partnership through AmeriCorps," Girardot said. "After they complete their apprenticeship, or their Youthbuild experience, they're essentially able to move into the trades in an easier fashion. We rely on them pretty heavily to help us with rehab acquisition activities, and they help us keep the cost down in a significant way."

Girardot said Habitat for Humanity tries to build between 17 and 25 homes annually in Spokane County. They also try to renovate and repair between seven and 10 existing Spokane homes a year through their rehab acquisition work.

Girardot said the organization has built more than 450 homes in Spokane County over the last 40 years. And it's not slowing down.

"We've got about 96 more homes to complete in the next three years," she said.

The Blitz Build is Habitat's longest event, and the materials and methods they're using for this project are different from most conventional means, Girardot said.

The 23 homes off South Carnahan Road in Spokane Valley will be built with insulated concrete forms. Much like giant Lego blocks, insulated concrete forms are stacked like bricks. Once a wall is upright, concrete is poured into the forms. The foam forms stay in place after the concrete sets to create permanent insulating layers on the interior and exterior.

"I've seen the headlines of the snowpack and how we're going to have smoke seasons coming up soon," Girardot said. "So the reason why we build with insulated concrete forms is that it is a way to preserve an asset when you live in an area that is prone to natural disaster."

Not only is the construction timeline shortened by three months, Girardot said, but the material is extremely energy efficient, stores heat well in the winter, and provides an impressive sound buff.

For this development, Girardot said Habitat will create a communal yard. Because the surrounding area is an industrial zone, Girardot said it's important to create a shared space where parents feel good about leaving their kids with the neighbors when they need to take a quick trip to the store.

Since the homeowners who move in get to decide what that shared space looks like, an exact design hasn't been solidified.

In order for a person to qualify for a Habitat home, they must make below 80% of the area median income and their monthly mortgage payments must not exceed 30% of their monthly income. A prospective homebuyer must also be OK with helping build their own or another family's home.

"Habitat families, because they had an affordable mortgage, were unfazed by the bubble bursting (during the Recession)," Girardot said. "But the concern I do have is a low-income family's ability to stay qualified to buy a home because of the increased costs just for them to continue going to their work, to afford food on the table, those kinds of things."

It's no secret that the lack of affordable homes in the United States is a most pressing issue. Girardot said that the average Habitat home costs about $60,000 to complete when Blitz Build first began 25 years ago. Today, that number is somewhere around $345,000, she said.

Girardot said the ecosystem of housing needs to be diverse to help folks from all walks of life. People experiencing homelessness need access to shelters and temporary housing. People below the poverty line need access to subsidized and shared-equity homes. Market rate rentals are the next level of home ownership, followed by homes listed at market value. The Carnahan Road property, which borders Interstate 90 kitty-corner from the back of Lowe's home improvement store, was donated to Habitat by the City of Spokane Valley last year in an effort to increase the availability of affordable housing. The city bought the property from Wheeler Investments and Development in 2024 for $630,000.

The cost of construction and the lack of affordable housing, not just in Spokane but nationwide, reinforces Habitat's need for community partners, generous sponsors and volunteers.

"The need is always there," Girardot said. "But how wonderful it is to be able to partner with so many diverse groups and interests to have a small part in solving a really big problem. We always need volunteers. We always need philanthropic hearts. It's very easy to get involved by going to our website and signing up.

"If you're ever curious, come to a job site. If you're lonely, come to a job site. If you are just trying to get some skills under your belt, come to a job site. It is a transformative experience. And when you have conversations with the families that buy these homes, it just changes your perspective for the better."

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