Habitat for Humanity Affiliates Merge to Serve Greater Los Angeles
The integration phase of the merger between Habitat for Humanity-Los Angeles and Habitat for Humanity South Bay/Long Beach is currently underway to form Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES-The integration phase of the merger between Habitat for Humanity-Los Angeles and Habitat for Humanity South Bay/Long Beach is currently underway to form Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles.
The legal end of the merger is expected to be completed by the end of this month after the merger was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of both affiliates and became effective on July 15, 2005.
Officials said that by combining the resources and staff expertise from both organizations into one entity, Habitat will be able to better serve the Greater Los Angeles area.
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In a joint statement announcing the merger, Jack Baringer, Chairman of the Board Habitat for Humanity South Bay/Long Beach and Jeff Seabold, Chairman of the Board Habitat for Humanity-Los Angeles, wrote: "As Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, we will ultimately be able to acquire more land; to partner with more families to build more homes; and to house more families. We will diversify our program offerings in response to changing demo-graphics and community needs. We will be able to more effectively advocate for homeownership opportunities for low-income people. We will increase the visibility of Habitat for Humanity and our mission in the region and beyond."
Despite the name change, HFH of Greater Los Angeles will take charge of 51 cities which were formerly serviced under the two separate Habitats – 23 cities from HFH South Bay/Long Beach and 28 cities from HFH-LA. According to HFH of Greater Los Angeles, it will be serving the combined area bounded by the Ventura County line on the west, Mullholland Drive and Interstates 101 and 60 on the north, the Pacific Ocean on the south, and Orange County on the east.
A total of 21 housing projects will continue under HFH of Greater Los Angeles. Steps are also being taken to build 45 new homes in the next three years, according to the organization.
Erin Rank, the new President and CEO of HFH of Greater Los Angeles, said that staff members from both affiliates have brought different strengths to merger.
"They have complemented each other," Rank, formerly President and CEO of Habitat South Bay/Long Beach, told the Christian Post Thursday.
She reported that Habitat staff members have now moved into one working office at Gardena, Calif., at the same site as Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles’s Home Improvement Store. Soon joining various departments that have relocated to the new office will be the Advocacy and Community Service Department.
The new department, according to Rank, will help Habitat not only serve more areas but better serve them by developing regional strategies.
Currently, HFH of Greater Los Angeles is partnering up with Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity to hold the "Fall Blitz Build," an annual weeklong event in which Hollywood celebrities support and pitch in to help families build homes. The event kicked-off on Sept. 10 in Torrance, Calif., and will continue until Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005, during which a closing event is scheduled for 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.
The address for the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles is 17700 S. Figueroa Street, Gardena, CA 90248. The telephone number is (310) 323-HOME (4663).
For more information on HFH of Greater Los Angeles, visit www.habitatla.org.
