New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon, Councilman Bill Powers, and Habitat for Humanity held a demolition of a dilapidated home on East Lake Street in Middletown Wednesday to make way for new homes that would help transform this street back into a vibrant part of town.
Habitat for Humanity strives to provide quality, new, affordable homes to low income families that do not qualify for conventional mortgages. These families work with volunteers to help build their homes as part of the deal.
County Executive Gordon commended Habitat for the great work it has done through the years.
“You’re an important component of our community,” he said. “Every Delawarean deserves at least the opportunity to become a homeowner. You, in a large way, provide that opportunity for a lot of people.”
Habitat for Humanity CEO Kevin Smith thanked County Executive Gordon for his support during his years in office. He noted that Gordon had seized a crime-ridden property and donated it to Habitat 12 years ago. The Habitat CEO also thanked Councilman Powers, for his continued support in ridding Middletown of eyesores.
Since 2000, Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County has built 20 quality, affordable houses in Middletown at the behest of the M.O.T. Rotary and M.O.T. Big Ball Marathon, Smith said.
“Today is part of our efforts to demolish four structures to make way for new construction in 2014 and 2015,” Smith said.
Councilman Powers, the County Executive, and Mr. Smith took turns operating a CAT excavator to demolish the home just off the junction of E. Lake and Catherine streets.