HomeAid, fueled by contributions from the U.S. construction industry, used to build transitional housing for homeless people.
Its benefactors simply are not in a position to contribute nearly as much as they did during the housing-boom years, however, so the organization, based in Irvine, Calif., has found a new focus and new support, Builderonline.com reports.
Energy-efficiency retrofits for existing shelters can be done for $50,000 or less, the report says. Building shelters used to cost $500,000 to $1 million.
CEO Jeffrey A. Slavin said HomeAid America approached Wal-mart for support for the energy program, and the retailer responded with a $600,000 grant.
“We just felt it made sense to do some kind of an intermediate program that will tide us over” while the home-construction business is down, Slavin told Builderonline.
HomeAid was founded in 1989 by the Orange County chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIA/SC).
