The first day I crossed the Charlotte City limits was the day I moved there. It’s kinda how I roll, especially back then. A fresh new Americorps member, into the provided Americorps housing above the Habitat For Humanity offices I went! . Taking only what could fit in my car. Kyle, the third, and I hit I-77…South… to forage for something that was fitting. Jumping in feet first, I found footing in the Habitat for Humanity world. Fresh off a barely obtained graduate degree, I wasn’t ready to commit to the traditional architecture #firmlife, so instead, I decided to sling screws.
Though I had never used a power drill before… Americorps… was… welcoming, everything a new young “professional” could ever want, with a chance to give back, do good and help people. As a part of a about twenty Americorps members, I had a new crew and essentially fifteen new roommates. At times it felt like “Real World: Americorps Edition! So many personalities separated only by thin walls. We were in… and also each other’s business for the year (and for me, two). Connected initially by our desire to serve the greater good, strangers became friends through building… yes houses… but also bonds. We were all we had, and it was great. We forfeited salaries for stipends, shopped with stamps, (the food kind) drank cheap beer, (PBR please) and watched each other grow. I was physically the strongest I had ever been. At one point I could hoist a 4×8 sheet of OSB alone, and up a ladder to sheath a roof. Things that initially left bruises the first month, barely bothered me by month three. I learned how to drive a manual truck, went Contra Dancing… right :)… broke a finger trying to drive a joist hanger nail, kept hammering though, and hung drywall on ceilings! Talk about character building!
Working in teams of two, we collectively contributed to the 100 projects Habitat Charlotte was committed to that year. In addition, we participated in two major events. Build-a-thons, traveling to Dallas and Seattle for blitz builds. And to the annual leadership conference in Talladega, AL (complete with Ricky Bobby vibes). Both events put our Charlotte work into greater context. The impact we were making locally was also happening nationwide and globally.
With a community of 400 AmeriCorps members, maybe more, in Habitat alone, the impact was definitely felt… and furthermore seen.
Every 5 years (or so), Americorps Alumni have the chance to make a return. A return back to a time of good growth, good trouble and a good time. And I was ready this year. Paired with a fundraising component, Habitat Charlotte, now Habitat Charlotte Region, has grown. With over 100 staff, the footprint and impact has expanded beyond Mecklenburgh, to include the surrounding counties of Iredell and Gaston. Founded in 1983 by a group of churches, over 5,000 families have been empowered by the affiliates’ work to develop affordable spaces and communities.
This, in my opinion, proves that there is more work to do. And the affiliate continues to do it. Housing is a direct quality of life factor and also contributes to a piece of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs chart. And gaps still need filling. The topic of adorable housing has been an ever building topic in American History, the terminology started to emerge more notably as the early public housing initiatives arose during the great depression era and the establishment of the Housing Act of 1937, and the conversation continues to evolve. The crux of the issue then… is a similar crux of the issue now, being that people lack decent and affordable housing options. A number of agencies and people have tried to solve it but the problems still exist, and it’s multi-layered with economics, politics and the social complexities in the world.
This reunion came with a few bittersweet moments as I learned that as of August 2025, the Americorps program is not funded, potentially making the 2nd part of 2026 the first build season un-Americorpsed since the 1990’s. And though this is a quieting moment, affordable housing is still loud. We think about the metrics, the cost, the zoning codes, yadadada…da. But Habitat… It was the teacher. Ironical that after architecture school, I needed a quick reminder that architecture isn’t just about drawings and details, or even the bottom line. It is about people. And despite the current realities, what Americorps instilled in me, and many others, won’t disappear, but lives on. With every screw driven, wall raised and relationship formed, there are reminders that building community, compassion, homes… always matters.
mj
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