What Others Are Saying about Unity Homes

“The Unity Homes project is a historic collaboration. Architects, lawyers, planners, green building and civil rights advocates, and homegrown community development non-profits are building, from the ground up, a new approach in community development that will provide healthy homes for hurricane survivors and communities across the Deep South.” - Trisha Miller, Fair Housing and Community Development Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law

Jason Mackenzie and Rose Johnson: North Gulfport Community Land Trust“Since the Unity Homes prototype/NGCLT office has been open, the place has been abuzz with visitors; individuals come from around the region to see this tremendous building. The North Gulfport Community Land Trust is deeply grateful to Unity Homes. If one Unity Home can present as much fervor and energy as it has, I can only imagine what a factory could do.” – Jason Mackenzie, Executive Director, North Gulfport Community Land Trust

“Every day we see families and individuals who are seeking, without much success, a safe and affordable solution to their housing needs. It will be a pleasure to inform them of the Unity Homes option.” – Jolie Machado, Program Director, Enterprise Corporation of the Delta/HOPE

“We have a unique opportunity to do things better in the aftermath of so much destruction. The Unity Homes model is one that not only provides people with safe, comfortable, healthy housing, it also creates meaningful jobs in areas where there have traditionally been few jobs that pay a living wage. We applaud your work to provide a better alternative, and green the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.” – Howard Page, Chair, Becky Gillette, Vice Chair, MS Chapter Sierra Club

“Our communities will not return without decent, affordable housing. Unity Homes promises to deliver more than that…if we must return, let us build back better. Let us do so with options that have long been the reserve of a privileged few.” – James Bui and Crystal Ngo, National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies

“Housing is listed regularly as the number one need for people with disabilities, seniors and their families. After Katrina, housing is now a crisis issue for our population and the general population. Mississippi has long ignored the need for accessible, affordable housing… The unhealthy exposure to chemicals of the FEMA trailers sent in after Katrina is a great concern to our population (and) we appreciate Unity’s pledge to the green building concepts.” – Mary Troupe, Executive Director, Coalition for Citizens With Disabilities of Mississippi

“Our theological positions bring us to the conclusion that Mississippi’s communities must work together to provide decent, safe homes that provide economy and dignity for all who desire to provide adequate housing for themselves and their families. Unity Homes, Inc. through their factory in Columbia, MS will bring us closer to that reality.” -- The Reverend Carol Borne Stewart, Assistant to the Bishop for Outreach and Community Development, The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi

“We strongly urge funding of Unity Homes Inc.’s factory proposal, thereby ensuring a superior option for the creation of jobs and provision of healthy, affordable housing for low to moderate income families.” – Bobby Hensley, Executive Director, Biloxi Housing Authority

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you in your efforts to locate a modular home manufacturing facility in Marion County, Mississippi. I am pleased that Unity Homes has decided to locate this facility in Mississippi, and would like to again offer my assistance. I believe this project will significantly contribute to the region’s Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts and provide much needed job opportunities. ” – Trent Lott, United States Senator

Thad Cochran: United States Senator“In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, meeting the housing needs of Mississippi Gulf Coast residents has been challenging. The opportunity to build low-cost, quality housing in our state will help alleviate the housing shortage and create jobs for residents of the community. I was pleased to hear of the impressive $1 million Unity Homes has raised from outside sources, and of the support from Marion County and the Mississippi Development Authority. ” – Thad Cochran, United States Senator

“Back Bay Mission is pleased to extend our firm support for Unity Homes Inc.’s plan to establish a modular manufacturing facility in Columbia, Mississippi. This facility will tremendously lessen the costs to non-profit groups and individuals that need every available discount in order to provide the number of homes required in the communities we serve.” – Everett E. Lewis, Affordable Housing Specialist, Back Bay Mission

“Such a facility is in dire need (at) this time, and its products will represent a tremendous cost-savings to the non-profits and families they are helping realize the dream of healthy, affordable housing… The green, affordable housing solution that Unity proposes is a missing link in solving the post-Katrina housing crisis on the Gulf Coast.” – Susan Weishar, Ph.D., Gulf Coast Coordinator, Mississippi Center for Nonprofits

“Because of the shortage of construction contractors and elevated housing costs in the aftermath of the hurricane, we welcome a local manufacturer of a healthy, safe, affordable modular home…” – James Perry, Counsel, Gulf Coast Fair Housing Center

“Green, affordable modular homes are indeed an ideal housing solution for low to moderate income households in our environmentally and economically challenged community.” – Derrick Christopher Evans, founder and Executive Director, Turkey Creek Community Initiatives

“A recent survey by our organization found that 41% of renters on the Gulf Coast are likely or very likely to leave the area if the affordable housing situation does not improve in the next two years. Current construction capacity does not exist in the region to make the type of impact that will be necessary to keep these residents here. Modular and, even better, Green Modular homes offer the ability to place families back in safe, healthy homes as a significant piece of the reconstruction mosaic.” - Guy Prall, Board Chairman, Hope Has a Face Foundation

“In full accordance with our mission, the Steps Coalition is pleased to extend our solid support of Unity Homes, Inc.’s plan to establish a modular homes manufacturing facility. With our housing stock devastated by the storm, with the cost of rebuilding out of reach for many of our low-income households, and with construction contractors in short supply, a local facility that could offer a low-cost, more easily assembled housing option would provide an essential resource for our recovery.” – Melinda Harthcock, Executive Director, Steps Coalition

“Because 100 Homes is a project focused on affordable housing, we knew that plants had to be located within 300 miles of the Gulf Coast to not be transport cost prohibitive. I was thrilled to learn of the Unity Homes plan to not only locate a plant in south Mississippi, but that it also could help us cross our second key barrier in using modular homes – design…We were concerned about many of the construction materials used in some of the homes that seemed to share more qualities with the ubiquitous FEMA trailers than we care to see…The 100 Homes in 100 Days project enthusiastically supports the Unity Homes application, as we believe it will bring a higher quality of life to many of the coast residents still suffering the impact of Katrina and Rita.” – Keith Canfield, Project Lead, 100 Homes in 100 Days

Tammy Agard and friend: Mississippi Home Again“Building these homes green, will immediately and directly assist our clients on many levels. Not only will the overall health of our clients improve, the energy savings alone will, in many cases, be the determining factor with respect to their debt to income ratio.” – Tammy Agard, Co-founder, Mississippi Home Again

“The unusually high asthma rate in our community dictates that green healthy homes be built. We also applaud Unity’s incorporation of energy-efficient appliances, double-pane windows, formaldehyde-free insulation, and HVAC systems, which lead to 50% energy savings for the owners; thus reducing the cost of living in the home.” – James Black, Executive Director, Coalition for Environmental and Economic Justice, Inc.

“In our efforts to provide diversified services and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we have expanded our efforts in providing affordable housing in this region. Our emphasis is on constructing single-family houses with most being within subdivisions. We strongly urge funding of Unity Homes Inc.’s factory proposal.” – Helmon Johnson, Executive Director, Pearl River Valley Opportunity, Inc.

“The rebuilding efforts on the coast cannot move forward with the housing situation as we now know it. Many options need to be considered and green, affordable modular housing is one solution that will benefit this community in meeting the demand for appropriate affordable housing for low to moderate income households. Unity’s use of green building concepts and energy saving efficiencies in the manufacturing process will provide overall health care reduction as residents lessen their exposures to formaldehyde, phthalates, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and other toxic chemicals found in conventional building materials.” – Adele Lyons, Program Director, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

“The Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law has been proud to supply legal services in support of this project from its inception in the months after Hurricane Katrina. Unity Homes represents one of the most innovative solutions to the continually worsening housing crisis on the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. Unity Homes represents a rare combination of an innovative business model and a strong commitment to social justice. We are proud to give an unqualified endorsement of this fine effort.” – Barbara R. Arnwine, Executive Director, Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

“Patients using Coastal Family Health Center have a critical need for housing and the response to provide low-income and rental housing has not been good. Many former residents cannot return to the area due to a lack of housing. At this critical juncture in time for our coastal community, it is an opportunity to begin constructing green housing that will benefit the coastal residents and environment for many decades to come.” – Joe M. Dawsey, Executive Director, Coastal Family Health Center