Of the 17 houses built by Warren County Habitat for Humanity since being founded in 1990, 16 of the original buyers remain in their homes.

&#8220We have some really good families and they’re all still right there making payments,” said chapter president Sam Corson, who has been with the organization since 1998. &#8220We had to foreclose on one home, but it didn’t take long to get someone else in it.”

A Habitat hallmark is that while construction involves much volunteer labor and materials donated or provided at costs, buyers of the homes put in &#8220sweat equity” during construction and also make regular payments.

According to Kate Brown, a spokesman for Habitat International, the national Habitat foreclosure rate used to be about 2 percent. Brown said in recent years Habitat has made every effort to enroll partner families in homeowners classes, so the average may have decreased.

Deloris Powell, 52, has lived in her Letitia Street Habitat home for nearly seven years and, as the holidays near, Powell said she can’t help but think about how fortunate she’s been.

&#8220I’m thankful every day for my home, but this is a special time of year,” she said. &#8220We moved in around Halloween in 2000 and we had the Christmas lights up before Thanksgiving.”

&#8220It was just a good feeling to have something of my own and be able to invite my family over – something you can’t do in an apartment,” Powell continued. &#8220After being in the (Vicksburg) Housing Authority system for 18 years, then getting my own home, I can’t do anything except be thankful.”

Public housing tenants are renters who pay for housing on a scale keyed to their income.

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian housing ministry. Prospective homeowners are selected on the basis of need, ability to pay and willingness to partner with Habitat.

Each homeowner family must invest 500 hours in the construction of their home or another Habitat house. After the home is completed, the homeowner is responsible for paying an interest-free mortgage.

Habitat homeowners are not allowed to rent their houses out, but the homes can be sold.

&#8220Before the home can be sold, they have to buy out the mortgage with Habitat,” said Corson. &#8220We have a $20,000 lien against the house, so they have to pay the mortgage plus the $20,000. We don’t want people trying to make a profit off of volunteer labor.”

&#8220If we have a homeowner to pass away, someone else living in the home can assume the payments,” he continued. &#8220If the payments cannot be met, then we follow the procedure of foreclosing.”

In an attempt to revamp things after seeing a decrease in productivity in 2005, Sam McGrady was hired as Warren County Habitat’s first permanent director. As executive director, McGrady is a full-time advocate for Habitat, whose job is to bridge the gap between the organization and others like it. He is responsible for establishing partnerships with supportive organizations, seeking influential individuals in the community for affiliate support, working as an advocate for low-income families in need of affordable housing and rounding up federal grants.

&#8220When I got here, I really had no idea what was needed in this area,” said McGrady, 53, who took his post in May. &#8220After coming in and looking at the specifics, I knew we needed to get more houses built, so that was my first goal.”

The organization has also been slow to recover this year, due to ongoing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, but is in the process of building the first and only Habitat house to be built in Warren County in 2006.

McGrady said he plans to stick to his three-houses-a-year goal, although it has been unattainable for the last two years.

&#8220At our annual planning meeting about a week ago, we said the 2007 goal was to complete three houses, including the one we recently started on off Stadium Drive,” he said. &#8220I think the projections are pretty realistic and we have already gotten things started.”

The recipient, 33-year-old Towanna Anderson, has been waiting for a home since 2001.

With Warren County Habitat receiving about 50 applications each year for housing, Anderson said it really helps to have a little patience.

Anderson’s home will be built on a lot donated by First Presbyterian Church of Vicksburg. Contractors began clearing the land less than a week ago and building is expected to start soon.

McGrady said in addition to building homes, he’s also focusing on building relationships.

&#8220I’m trying to build a relationship with our partner families,” he continued. &#8220I have met several of the families, but I want to meet all of them.”

McGrady said Habitat’s relationship with its families is ongoing.

&#8220We don’t just build a house and put them out there on their own,” McGrady said. &#8220We keep in touch with them and assist them in any way we can.”

Warren County Habitat for Humanity has built or renovated 18 homes. One is counted twice because it was renovated after being built. The names of the recipients and the dates they moved in: