Habitat for Humanity board members, donors, and volunteers ceremonially broke ground on a new home along East 12th Street Friday morning.

This will be the second house the nonprofit has built from the ground up in Cortez, said Susan Rain, a board member for Habitat for Humanity of Montezuma County.

“Our mission here locally is to build homes, community and hope,” Rain said at the groundbreaking event. “And that’s what we’re planning to do here.”

This home project will be 1,200 square feet and have three bedrooms and one bathroom, according to Molly Greenlee, the local organization’s executive director. Currently, Habitat is in the process of selecting a partner family, who will not only live in the home, but also help in the construction process.

“We don’t require a down payment for the houses,” Greenlee said. “But sort of as an alternative down payment, they contribute what we call ‘sweat equity hours.’ So they work with the Habitat volunteers and staff in the construction of the house.”

Right now, they expect to finish up the project in September or October. Volunteers of all skill levels are encouraged to join in some capacity, whether it be on a construction site, through fundraising efforts or at the organization’s ReStore on U.S. Highway 491.

ealvero@the-journal.com