Habitat plans first city house in 20 years

The Chautauqua Area Habitat for Humanity is set to build its first city of Dunkirk house in about 20 years.

Working with the Chautauqua County Land Bank, the home-building group plans to erect an approximately 1,200-square-foot, three-bedroom, 1 1/2 bathroom home at 9 Genet St.

David Kurzawa, Habitat's local executive director, said the organization has not built a home in Dunkirk since the early 2000s due to a lack of local volunteers. "To make it work, we have to have volunteers from the community," he said.

Kurzawa mentioned that one of the two Dunkirk houses they built about 20 years ago, on Ruggles Street, will have its mortgage paid off this year by the original owner.

Habitat will be bringing in volunteers from Silver Creek to start the upcoming Genet Street job. The group has a strong volunteer base in Silver Creek, with seven houses completed in the village in recent years. Kurzawa hopes their work on Genet Street will attract Dunkirk volunteers.

Gina Paradis, the Land Bank's director, said the previous house at 9 Genet St. was severely blighted and torn down in 2020. Debris was completely cleared and the site is currently a lawn.

The parcel is in the Land Bank's Side Lot Program. Usually, "we really try to get one of the (neighboring) property owners to purchase it. But when it's a buildable lot, we like to see houses on them," Paradis said.

Habitat for Humanity will build its planned house on the site, then sell it to a family in their program. "The family we choose will be working with the volunteers from day one to completion" of the house, Kurzawa said.

Habitat and the Land Bank have partnered before across the county on projects like this. "Usually, the neighborhood improves after we do it," Kurzawa said.

Kurzawa, Paradis, city Planning and Development Director Vince DeJoy, and Glenn Christner, Dunkirk's top code enforcer, visited the site Wednesday. DeJoy suggested that corporate entities in Dunkirk might be willing to bring in workforce volunteers for the Genet Street house, and any future similar projects.

When it comes to volunteers, "anything" works, Kurzawa replied. "We'll take church groups, anyone willing to help."

DeJoy noted that no building skills are necessary for volunteers. "They will give you tasks you can handle."

The house needs governmental site plan approval and contractors need to be lined up. Kurzawa said foundation and roofs on Habitat houses get contracted out.

Towards the end of the site visit, Kurzawa handed Christner the blueprints so he can start inspecting them.

People interested in volunteering for Chautauqua Area Habitat for Humanity, or accessing their services, should go to www.CHQHabitat.org.