I am concerned that readers of the Editorial Board’s piece “Making Ames Habitat more Humane” that ran on Oct. 3rd could misunderstand the Habitat for Humanity program and the outcome of the Ames City Council vote last week. So I would like to clarify.

At the last council meeting the Ames City Council first clarified their own requirements for the partnership between the City of Ames and the developers of the city’s land at 24th St. and Hoover Ave. so that the city was no longer requiring periodic future income checks. The second decision the City Council made was to restrict the inhabitability of the three homes in this subdivision more than is done traditionally by community land trusts.

Story County Habitat for Humanity does not and has never required periodic income checks after selling a home to a partner family. Once a partner family is selected to build and buy a Habitat for Humanity home, any future increase in income does not affect their participation in the Habitat for Humanity program. The partnership between Story County Habitat for Humanity and the Story County Community Land Trust does not and has never required periodic income checks after selling a home to a partner family.

Story County Habitat for Humanity does not and has never restricted the homeowners as to whom they may will their property.

The traditional community land trust lease does allow the home to be willed, regardless of income, to surviving spouses, children, lineal descendants and anyone residing in the home for at least one year prior to the lessee’s death.

We strongly agree with the Daily’s Editorial Board that Habitat for Humanity homeowners should not be forced from their own homes for improving their own economic situations, and that part of the definition of “homeowner” is that homeowners have control over their home and their assets and should be able to control to whom they will their property.

Our program does reflect our values on these issues.

Anjeanette Perkins

Executive Director

Story County Habitat for Humanity