Habitat finishes home

Clarence Knapp sat under a red and white tent across from IU’s football stadium, cutting his biscuits and gravy on a paper plate with a plastic fork.

Behind him, a house — blue siding, white trim — rose from the tailgate fields on platforms. Ten days ago, it was not there.

Knapp spent eight to nine hours a day for the last 10 days in this field, working with volunteers and Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County to make this a reality.

He and his wife, Tora, put in 250 hours of sweat equity working on other homes to get to build their house. They went to classes and worked to maintain little debt, even on their single income with their two children, Teresa and Bailey.

This was the last step in the journey — the last day building the Knapps’ new home. Saturday, they were given the keys. Sunday, the house was moved to its permanent location near 13th  Street and Woodlawn Avenue. The build was a joint effort by IU, the Kelley School of Business, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County and Whirlpool
Corporation.

 “This has been a one-of-a-kind experience,” Knapp said. “I’ve been grinding forward, trying to keep our family safe and secure and sane. Habitat’s finally given us a chance to be up forever.”

***

A year ago, Clarence Knapp was in the same spot on 17th Street. His and Tora’s first hours of work toward their house were on Trish Vosekas’s house, the first Habitat built with the University.

Then, the Knapps were living in a two-bedroom apartment in a busy complex. The kids shared a room, and as they got older — now 6 and 8 — it wasn’t working. There also wasn’t an area for them to play.

Clarence worked at the eastside Kroger, and Tora watched the kids and took social work classes at Ivy Tech.

They had good credit, but most places couldn’t give them a mortgage without a larger down payment. On a single income, they couldn’t save $15,000 right away.

The first time they applied for Habitat, they didn’t qualify. They stayed in a holding pattern, waiting and working. Then the news came.

He and Tora built up their Habitat hours by helping future neighbors finish their homes. They worked steadily, balancing a full-time job and the kids. They learned to frame houses and work saws. They worked mostly during the winter.

Sometimes it was 30 degrees at noon. Snow would fall while they framed a house. Every 30 minutes, someone would have to come by with a shovel or broom to sweep the slush off the foundation.

“Even the worst stuff they have you do with Habitat, I love,” Clarence said.

Clarence had grown up in Bloomington. He was born just off Rockport Road.
Tora had moved a lot, living in Washington, Idaho, California, Utah and Michigan.
The house they were working on would provide them a stable place to raise their family. It would ensure they wouldn’t have to move every nine months when rent got too high.

“Now we’re back in a place where the kids have already gotten to know other kids,” he said. “We helped build our neighbors’ homes, and they have green space.”

Their lot would be a stable place in a city they knew - a city with good people. It would be a symbol to their kids and an example to be successful. The corner lot, his neighborhood, Bloomington.

“This is my home,” he said.

 ***
Inside the Knapps’ house, volunteers in the kitchen scrubbed and poked fingernails into cracks to dig out crusts of paint and dust.

Clarence stood in the laundry room, pulling off Whirpool tags and fiddling with the new appliances.

“Is this really mine?” he asked.

Outside the side door, there was a bit of the blue wrap still exposed. Volunteers had written messages. “Much love from the Wells family.” “May all the love that went into this house help you raise your loving family.” “Wishing you many years of happiness! Congrats.”

There are more messages under the siding.

“It’s like a house written with good karma all over,” Clarence said.

The house still didn’t feel real to Clarence. They’d talked about ways to set up the living room, but they weren’t sure about decorating. There might be pictures of big cats — both he and Tora love lynxes, tigers and the like — and there would definitely be a room with pictures of the kids from newborns to elementary school.

Bailey’s room will probably be Legos and Transformers. Teresa’s will probably be pink and covered in toy cats. They still think it’s silly to have separate rooms, Clarence said. They haven’t figured out how great it is.

The kids want a dog or cat to complete things, Clarence said.

Clarence was told it would hit him in a few months when he was just sitting in his living room looking at everything — that they were here, that this was his.
He touched the new washer.

“This wasn’t here last week,” he said. “It’s crazy.”

***
At the dedication for the house, important people spoke.

“It’s neat to see them come full circle to be this year’s family,” said Meagan Niese, development director of Habitat for Humanity Monroe County. “They’re hard-working people, and they cut their debt down. And they’re excited to pay a mortgage. It’s an emotional day.”

Clarence was crying. He said it was like summer camp or an awesome family vacation. He didn’t want it to end. He would have camped there breakfast, lunch and dinner, and he would have worked another week if he had to.

They were handed their key, and the kids cut the ribbon on the door. It meant family barbecues, their first Thanksgiving and Christmas. The number 303 hung on one of the white pillars on the porch.

“Home is where the heart is,” Clarence said to the crowd. “And you will all be in ours forever.”