A Sheboygan County nonprofit is nearly set to embark on a major project.
In the fall of 2025, the Sheboygan Area School District began accepting proposals for the purchase and development of a three-acre parcel of land located at 1227 Bell Avenue, the site of the former Washington Elementary School playground area.
Late last month, the Board of Education authorized district administrators to seek a contract with Habitat for Humanity Lakeside for the property after a competitive proposal process.
Habitat Lakeside Executive Director Le’Shay Guy spoke with SeehaferNews.com to explain what this proposal entailed.
“We had to include, obviously, what our plan was for use of the land,” said Guy. “Which for us it would be to build 21 affordable homes for 21 Sheboygan Area School District families because it is in the Sheboygan Area School District.”
Guy says the purchase of the land would cost $20,000 with the intent to invest an additional $10,000 into the district for every home built, totaling approximately $210,000.
She called the whole process, including being selected by the district, a bit of a roller coaster of emotions.
“Honestly, it was relief, excitement, a little stress because it’s like, okay, this is something that we prayed for, planned for, and now that is actually in the palm of our hands. It’s like it’s go mode. It’s time to go. So, a lot of mixed emotions, but mostly excitement,” she said with a smile.
Each home on the Bell Avenue site will be constructed with the buyers in mind, who will play a significant role in the design process, with Guy adding,
“So, each home will be anywhere between 1400 to 1500 square feet,” She told us. “They could very much so be a one story home, a two story home. It’ll depend on the family that we’re working with.”
While not all documentation has officially been signed off on, once that does happen, Executive Director Guy plans for construction to begin one year after putting pen to paper.
The homes to be built on the property will be an extension of Habitat for Humanity Lakeside’s Home Buyers Program, which aims to offer families a path to gain affordable home ownership in the county.
The nonprofit is currently in the process of constructing its 53rd and 54th Sheboygan County homes and hopes to have that number over 70 once the Washington Elementary homes are completed around 2031.
While there is room on the property for Habitat for Humanity to construct even more homes, additional plots have been selected as sites for future homes to be built by students at North and South High Schools enrolled in the House Construction class.
More information on Habitat for Humanity Lakeside and its Home Buyers Program can be found online by visiting habitatlakeside.com.
More information on the 21 homes to be built will be released in the future once the district and Habitat Lakeside officially sign off on the agreement.
