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(MURFREESBORO) Thank goodness the Habitat for Humanity home renewal work done on MLK, Jr. Day at 712 East State Street was mostly interior.

Rutherford County Area Habitat for Humanity is partneed with Hands on Nashville for a house rehab project in Murfreesboro Monday (1/21/2019). Guests from Habitat for Humanity will be on the WGNS Action Line on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 from 8:10-9:00AM.

The start of the renovations on the home were mostly inside during the MLK kick-off. It is for future homeowner Candace, a Murfreesboro woman who has survived many "life issues" including six heart attacks and several financial setbacks. Candace actually failed in the Habitat Homeowner program the first time around, but was determined to try again and change her life around.

This is the first time that Hands on Nashville has partnered with the Rutherford Co. organization and they have had a great response from over 30 volunteers. They came from Asurion as well as Murfreesboro Electric Department.

The house was a former Habitat "transition house" used for families who were waiting to move into their new homes. It will be repaired and renovated between January and the end of March 2019. The House Dedication and Ribbon Cutting is slated for early April. Sponsors of the house rehab include General Mills, Hammer Down for Habitat, the Gannett Foundation, the Walmart Foundation and Women Build.

Like all Habitat Future Homeowners, Candace has been attending RCHFH's 50-hour Financial Literacy and Homeowner Education Program and is completing 300 hours of sweat equity. The program prepares homeowners who would not normally qualify for a standard mortgage to manage their money, create household budgets, lower their debt-to-income ratio, plan for the maintenance of their home, avoid predatory lending, and make sound financial and life decisions. Many permanently move out of a cycle of poverty.

Upon graduating from the program, they then buy their home at no profit to Habitat, through a 0-interest mortgage. Home ownership has proven to have a great impact on both the family and the community, including: better health, better school and work attendance, raised academic scores, revitalized neighborhoods, increased property values, reduced strain on government and municipal services, and increased tax revenue, among other positive effects.