Burundi family selected for ‘Sweet Home Cedar Rapids’ house

CEDAR RAPIDS - The next home built by Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity is being called 'Sweet Home Cedar Rapids” to honor departing Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett.

The two-term mayor isn't seeking re-election this fall as he runs for the GOP nomination for governor.

'We thought, ‘How cool would it be to honor our mayor for all he's done over the years?' ” said Jeff Capps, executive director of Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity. 'It's a standard build, but a special theme.”

The idea for the honor came shortly after Capps attended Corbett's final state of the city address in February. There, Corbett sang 'Sweet Home Cedar Rapids,” a riff on 'Sweet Home Chicago,” a blues standard by Robert Johnson and popularized by the Blues Brothers, to the surprise and amusement of the audience. Corbett performed with local band Crankshaft.

Habitat for Humanity has worked closely with both elected officials and staff leaders for a decade to provide 'safe, decent and affordable” homes. The city has been instrumental in some cases helping find and acquire property, Capps said.

Corbett joined a crew of volunteers - including members of the family getting the home, as well as those from other families who have received homes through the organization - recently to work on the house, specifically helping build a deck.

'They require sweat equity on behalf of the homeowner, and the homeowner has a chance to build up financial equity over time,” Corbett said. 'It was great to see the new homeowner working side-by-side with me and existing homeowners were working as well.”

Corbett credited Habitat for Humanity, as well as other organizations, such as Matthew 25, with helping rebuild or replace the 1,300 homes lost in the 2008 flood.

A Burundi family living in Cedar Rapids for the past two years - and 10 years total in Iowa - was selected to purchase the new house.

Fenias Nyandwi and Agnes Chiza will take possession of the home at 919 12th St. NE when it is finished, likely in November, Capps said. The two-story home will include five bedrooms and two bathrooms, which should provide enough space for the family, which includes six children ages 3 to 18, Capps said.

'We plan to dedicate the home to the family by Thanksgiving, which will coincide with the end of the mayor's second term,” Capps said. 'The celebration will honor the conclusion of his service to the city, and very importantly get them in before the holidays.”

Habitat for Humanity has certain income requirements, and the purchaser must contribute physical labor to the project, Capps said. Families buy the home with a no interest mortgage adjusted to what the family can afford, while a 15-year forgivable second mortgage can make up the difference between the mortgage and home value, Capps said.

'We want families to make a commitment to the area,” Capps said of the 15-year forgivable mortgage.

The home will be one of five built in a row on land the organization acquired. Each home will have the same floor plan, but different facades and roof lines will diversify the aesthetic in the neighborhood, Capps said.

Sponsors, such as Alliant Energy and Rathje Construction, have stepped up thus far, but the organization is still seeking donations of money and labor to complete the build. People can find out more about how to help by contacting Capps at (319) 784-7886 or jeffcapps@cvhabitat.org.

Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity, which began in 1988, builds six homes and rehabilitates other for about 20 families a year on average, Capps said.

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