From a blitz

build in Jackson, Michigan, to a women's build in Scranton, Pennsylvania,

home builders have turned out in force to help Habitat for Humanity International

build decent, affordable housing in dozens of cities around the country

this year.

These projects

and other Habitat benefit projects fundraisers, land donations and countless

volunteer hours are all part of Home Builders Care 2000.

Next year,

the National Association of Home Builders will participate in Habitat's

"The Houses The Senate Built" program, launched by a Senate

resolution in honor of National Home Ownership Week 2000.

The resolution

calls on each Senator to work with his or her staff and family, local

Habitat affiliates, homeowner families, volunteers and national sponsors

to build at least one Habitat house in his or her home state.

As a Building

Partner in the program, along with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers

Association, Council of Federal Home Loan Banks and the National Association

of Realtors, NAHB celebrates its historic contributions to Habitat with

financial assistance and the coordination of skilled labor and volunteer

supervision to local builds.

of 2001, the program will provide homes for at least 102 families in need

of a decent place to live.

"Home

builders are proud of their many contributions to Habitat projects over

the years, and we're thrilled to join with our nation's Senators, their

families and their staff to continue the work of eliminating poverty housing

in the United States," said NAHB President Robert L. Mitchell on

the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony for the launch build the National

Senators' Build in the Capitol Heights area of metropolitan Washington,

D.C. "This is a fine example of builders doing what they do best

to help less fortunate members of the community achieve the American dream."

During the

first week of March 2001, Senators will work beside Habitat homeowners,

project sponsors and local volunteers to frame and raise the walls of

two houses for the National Senators' Build.

The Prince

George's County Habitat for Humanity affiliate will manage the builds.

The houses will continue to be built during the Spring with a dedication

ceremony scheduled for National Home ownership Week 2001 in June.

The National

Senators' Build will be followed by projects around the country as the

home-building industry joins with Senators, their staff and their families

to eliminate poverty housing in the United States.

NAHB joins

Habitat for Humanity in thanking Sens. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), John Ashcroft

(D-Mo.), Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Kent Conrad (R-N.D.), Bob Graham (D-Fla.)

and Mary Landreau (D-La.), the original co-sponsors of the bill, for joining

the effort to provide safe, decent, affordable housing for all Americans.

For more than

24 years, Habitat for Humanity International has been at the forefront

of turning the dream of owning a home into a reality. This September,

Habitat built its 100,000th home, providing safe, decent housing for 400,000

people from around the world. Habitat is committed to build another 100,000

homes by 2005.

"The Houses

the Senate Built" program will help in reaching this goal. The Senators'

participation encourages the participation of volunteers and sponsors

and provides visibility for the issues of poverty housing and homelessness.

NAHB's Home

Builders Care program highlights more than forty Habitat projects this

year, including a 100-home build in Jacksonville, Fla.; ten blitz-builds;

all-women builds; and a dozen charitable donations to Habitat for Humanity

International.

Fannie Mae,

Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association, Council of Federal Home Loan

Banks and the National Association of Realtors joined NAHB as building

sponsors of "The Houses the Senate Built" program.

Other sponsors

include the Mortgage Insurance Companies of America, The U.S. Department

of Housing and Urban Development and the Corporation for National Service.

(John Hayes,

who is with Torrey Homes, is president of the Home Builders Association

of Midwest Georgia, which serves a membership of approximately 440 builders

and associate members in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Heard and Meriwether

Counties.)