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Habitat director speaks on housing market challenges

Amid a difficult housing market both nationally and locally, Clinch River Habitat for Humanity Director Charlotte Bowers says local organizations are working together.

“It’s like everything’s just piling in at one time on people, and it’s next to impossible,” she said. “We’re getting constant phone calls.”

With this high volume, Bowers said Habitat is working with other organizations like Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties and the federal government-affiliated Oak Ridge Housing Authority, both also involved in homebuilding.

“There’s such a need,” she said. “None of us can do but so much at a time.”

Bowers stressed the importance of her own organization, given the situation.

The organization works on building houses for people within the 60% to 80% median-income range for the area with mortgages that aim to be affordable for them.

“Any of the Habitat houses right now have become extremely important because we sell the houses for the appraised value, but we are able to structure the mortgages so that it’s affordable,” Bowers said.

“And right now, as you know, mortgages have become unaffordable for low- to moderate-income families.”

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Oak Ridge to buy land for animal shelter

The city of Oak Ridge is looking to purchase land off Fairbanks Road near its intersection with Oak Ridge Turnpike for its new animal shelter building.

This will be a new shelter for Oak Ridge, not related to Anderson County’s new animal shelter plans.

The City Council authorized spending up to $200,000 on about 2.52 acres for the project.

Police Department Capt. Matthew Tedford said the property owner was willing to accept $200,000 for the property.

The resolution passed unanimously.

Oak Ridge to build car charging stations

The Oak Ridge City Council recently voted unanimously to install two electric vehicle fast-charging stations, in the city, spending up to $275,000 from the city’s electric fund.

A memo said the Tennessee Valley Authority will reimburse the city for 80% of the cost through a credit on the wholesale power bill.

The city will work with Seven States Power Corporation, a group that Oak Ridge Electric Director David Cross said has installed 94% of the fast-charging electric car stations in the Tennessee Valley.

The city has not yet chosen a location or purchased land for the chargers.

Cross said consultants will analyze the area and contact landowners to figure out the best location.