Press Release

Orange County Leader Elected President of Habitat for Humanity’s Southern California Affiliates Association

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s Executive Director takes over as President

Santa Ana, CA, April 30, 2009 - Sharon Ellis, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, has just been elected president of Habitat for Humanity’s Southern California Affiliates Association (SCAA).

The SCAA serves Habitat for Humanity affiliates throughout Southern California. The organization provides a way for Habitat affiliates serving communities from Santa Barbara to San Diego to come together to work on issues of mutual interest in support of their shared mission of building affordable ownership housing for and with qualified families in Southern California.

Ellis, a long-time Irvine resident, has been a member of the SCAA for over three years.  Her goal is to create a more cohesive organization that provides a way for affiliates to speak with one voice on important issues such as California legislation that impacts their efforts to build affordable housing. 

"I am honored to serve as president of the Southern California Affiliates Association representing Habitat for Humanity affiliates from Santa Barbara to San Diego,” said Sharon Ellis, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. “Helping create an awareness of the work that is being done to provide homeownership opportunities for qualifying families is important in this time of housing uncertainty."

About Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Celebrating 20 years of changing lives and changing communities in Orange County. 130 houses built in Orange County
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, is dedicated to ending substandard housing and building strong communities in Orange County. Habitat uses non-government donations of funding, materials, professional services and volunteer labor to build simple, decent homes which are sold to qualified low-income families for a 1% down payment, closing costs, and a zero-interest mortgage. Mortgage payments are recycled to build more Habitat homes. Habitat families contribute 500 hours of "sweat equity" to the program by building their own home, helping another Habitat family build a home, or working in some other area of the Habitat organization. Habitat for Humanity families and volunteers have built 130 homes in Orange County since 1988, and are currently building eight homes in San Juan Capistrano.

27 homes to be built in San Juan Capistrano
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s Habitat for Heroes and Foundations for Families™ development of 27 homes at the end of Calle Rolando will be built in phases.  Framing for the first four homes began on July 2, 2008.  The second four homes were framed on October 3, 2008.  Funding for the land on which these homes are being built was donated by the City of San Juan Capistrano Redevelopment Agency.  Funds for building these homes have been generously donated by The HTN Foundation; Bank of America; the Orange County Realtors Partnership, which consists of the Orange County Association of REALTORS®, Laguna Board of REALTORS®, and Newport Beach Association of REALTORS®; an anonymous donor;  the Steve Tisch Foundation; Toshiba America Business Solutions; the Presbyterian Partnership; St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point; Hyundai Motor America; the Van Cleve Foundation; and more than a thousand other local donors.

300,000 houses built worldwide
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, an ecumenical Christian housing ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat International has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. Habitat for Humanity International is currently the 16th largest homebuilder in the United States, according to Builder OnLine magazine.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, please call (714) 434-6200 extension 229 or visit our Web site at habitatoc.org.

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