The Gulf Coast's first environmentally-friendly house was unveiled in Gulfport, Mississippi, on January 27. The factory-built modular house is designed to be energy efficient, affordable, and built of non-toxic materials.

Sponsored by the North Gulfport Community Land Trust (NGCLT) and the Washington, D.C.-based Lawyers Committee For Civil Rights Under Law, the house was built by Unity Homes, a project of the Healthy Building Network. Unity Homes was selected to provide the prototype because of its success in producing high quality affordable housing that costs less than conventional housing.  

Also during the unveiling, Wes Miller, Mississippi management consultant for NeighborWorks America, gave NGCLT $95,000 to support the organization’s energy-efficient housing development activities, including the acquisition of land, purchase of materials, equipment and supplies, and organizational planning.  “NeighborWorks is committed to creating healthy communities by incorporating green standards into the construction of as many owned and rental properties as possible,” said Miller.

 "The need for affordable housing on the Coast that can be quickly assembled has never been greater," said Rose Johnson, chair of the NGCLT, a grass-roots organization   founded in 2004 to preserve the history and character of the North Gulfport community. Using the nationally-successful Community Land Trust model, NGCLT intends to build quality, permanently-affordable, energy-efficient housing utilizing a variety of construction types.   

 "Many areas of the Coast were devastated by Hurricane Katrina," Johnson said. "But it is especially difficult for low-income communities to recover. We are fortunate that Unity Homes chose North Gulfport as the national model for this affordable, energy-efficient housing project. How much better for money to go toward a mortgage rather than worrying about whether there is enough to pay the light bill!" Job creation will be an added benefit of the construction project. according to Johnson. "Unity Homes plans to establish a modular home factory in Mississippi that will provide a living wage for people in the community to build and install these modular homes."

Paul Bogart, co-director of Unity Homes, said the prototype house is a result of a unique collaboration between green design professionals, affordable housing advocates, and community leaders. "This home represents the future of affordable housing and proves that sustainability, affordability and quality are not incompatible goals," Bogart said. "The Unity Home combines the look and feel of traditional design while avoiding materials that give off dangerous chemicals and waste energy."

"We unite for justice through homeownership," said Trisha Miller, Attorney with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "Unity Homes is a collaborative effort, bringing together some of the brightest minds in green technology and design, affordable housing, and community development. In real terms, this means providing healthy housing with fair financing for homeowners."