Too often readily available homes are inaccessible, creating added barriers to homeownership for people with disabilities. Adding universal design elements to Habitat homes ensures more equitable access to affordable housing and can allow for aging in place, thus adding potential for building neighborhood stability.”
2024 Annual Report: Construction
Construction Update
Build Season: April 2024 – April 2025
Habitat celebrated a record-breaking 26 homes under construction this build season! Of these, 20 were built by the Habitat construction team and community volunteers, while six were completed by local builders. Longtime partner Lancia Homes and new partner D.R. Horton each built one home in Fort Wayne, while Royal Developments built four homes through the Innovative Housing Showcase in partnership with the City of Fort Wayne.
Lancia Homes
D.R. Horton
Royal Developments + City of FW
The Volunteer Difference
Collaboration Story
AWS Foundation
In 2024, our construction team began incorporating accessibility enhancements into our homes to better support a wide range of needs. This initiative was in collaboration with AWS Foundation, from whom we received a grant to support the additional cost associated with implementing changes.
Building on this progress, all homes constructed during the 2025-2026 build season will feature universal design elements that improve visitability and adaptability. This commitment to accessibility will be reflected in homes built throughout Southeast Fort Wayne and Huntington.
Patti Hays
AWS Foundation CEO
Working beside the new homeowners makes it much more personal, because you think, this is the person who’s going to lay their head on the bed at night.”
Construction Volunteer
In 2024, we took the job site to seven organizations — six in Allen County and one in Huntington County. We engaged 523 volunteers to build all of the interior and exterior wall panels of a Habitat home for families in our community. 💙
Special thanks to Home Lumber for donating their trucks and time to deliver all the materials needed to each location.
