- Welcome to "Inland Edition", where this season, we're having conversations with people who represent nonprofit organizations working to make the Inland Empire a better place.

My name is Joe Richardson.

I'm a local attorney, Inland Empire resident and your host.

And today, we're going to chat with David Hahn, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, Riverside.

Habitat for Humanity is an international organization that seeks to eliminate poverty and lack of housing from the world by making decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

The Riverside affiliate is an independently-funded nonprofit dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally through constructing, rehabilitating, and preserving homes across the Inland Empire.

A unique facet of the organization is that while it provides affordable housing, prospective homeowners participate in the construction of their homes.

[light background music] A father of three and a longtime collaborator with nonprofits and low-income families in search of affordable housing, David Hahn volunteered for Habitat for Humanity regularly during his 34 years at Bank of America.

Now working exclusively for the housing nonprofit, he feels that his work finally aligns with exactly where his heart has been.

Let's meet him now, and learn more about how Habitat for Humanity is affecting our community.

[soft piano music] ♪ [gentle upbeat music] ♪ ♪ ♪ - [Joe] I'm happy to welcome to "Inland Edition" David Hahn of Habitat for Humanity, Riverside.

Thank you so much for being here.

- Oh, thank you for having me.

- Right.

So, I always like to build the house a little bit first.

- Okay.

- And, interestingly, we bumped up against some facts that demonstrated to me that you come by your public service work pretty honestly.

Talk a little bit just about your background.

You don't have to go into everything we talked about, but your background and how, you know, you still kind of had a window on the public service even while you worked with Bank of America.

- Well, sure.

And, that goes way back, way before I started working.

I had my upbringing with my dad and my uncle and all my cousins, and- - Right.

- what a public servant really means.

- Gotcha.

- And, I def carried that with me my entire life, not just my career.

- [Joe] Sure.

- But, working at Bank of America after I-- I was there for 34 years.

And, a good portion of that time I was either leading or participated in the community volunteers program- - Sure.

- at Bank of America.

And, that's where I got to know Habitat for Humanity.

- Right.

- So, about 20, 25 years ago, I went on my first Habitat volunteer event.

- Okay.

- And, found myself on the roof of a house pounding nails in downtown Riverside.

- Right.

- And, I thought, "Well?

I can do this."

- Right.

- And so, we continued to volunteer as a community volunteer group from Bank of America with Habitat for Humanity.

So, I got to know the way that the Habitat works, how they do at the local level, the business model, what their structure looked like; you know, they're based in, now, in Atlanta.

- Okay.

- And, how that works.

And, when I retired from Bank of America, there was about a six month gap there.

And, I was sitting in the office of our former Bank of America market manager.

His name's Al Arguello.

- Right.

- And, he says, "I hear that there's an opening for the executive director role in San Bernardino."

(Joe laughs) And, I said, "Oh?

You got anybody in mind?"

(Joe laughs) And, three weeks later, I find myself in Sacramento representing Habitat for Humanity my second day on the job!

- How about that!

- Same people I worked with at Bank of America in the capitol building saw me and then didn't think of "Why are you here?

This isn't Bank of America Day!"

- Right.

- So, I had the opportunity to introduce myself as the new executive director for Habitat for Humanity, San Bernardino area.

- Wow.

- And, that was in 2018, January 18.

- Okay.

Right.

And so, and eventually you made it over to Riverside 'cause there's separate organizations.

Is that right?

- Yes, yes.

They're all-- every Habitat affiliate is a separate corporation- - Right.

- that's affiliated with Habitat International.

- Sure.

- But, it's its own separate organization.

- Right.

- And, yeah.

So, when the executive director in Riverside retired- - Right.

- two years ago- - Sure.

- I took the opportunity to get home.

- Maybe it's something else in the misconception category is that, you know, we're used to seeing, you know, the picture of Jimmy Carter, you know, doing something maybe even overseas, or whatever else.

But, you know, and also the big project, the "big house."

Right?

The houses.

But, you guys do a lot of smaller projects, as well.

And, that's just as much a part of your fabric as the bigger projects that people tend to know about.

Talk about that.

- Well, Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter were not the founders of Habitat for Humanity!

- Right!

(laughing) - They're not-- just our most famous volunteers!

- Right, sure.

- But, are also the biggest cheerleaders- - Yeah.

- For Habitat over all these years.

- Right.

- And, they have a Carter family build that happens every year.

- Right.

- That gets a lot of attention and does a lot of great work.

- Right.

- And, the Carter Center back there in Atlanta, they have just been a great partner for Habitat overall for all of us.

- Sure.

- But, yeah.

We have our own projects.

We just completed a project that is a little out-of-the-box for Habitat for Humanity because we focus on home ownership.

- Right.

- That's our goal.

So, at Habitat for Humanity, our mission is to bring people together, to build homes, communities, and hope.

And, sometimes, we may have to go out of our comfort zone- - Sure.

- Or, our box of what we normally do to meet that need.

- Right.

- Recently we had, and this is a few years ago now.

The city of Riverside, the mayor, came to Habitat asking for assistance with something that he had a vision for doing, and wasn't meeted with the most appreciative response from the community at first!

And knew, though, if he brought Habitat into the picture, the brand would help him sell his story.

But, it was for transitional living.

- Right.

- And, we just don't do that.

I mean, we do home ownership.

- Right.

Sure.

- But, he came to Habitat and we agreed, and we built 10 little cottages that are under-- or, just over 400 square feet each.

- [Joe] Wow.

- In Riverside, downtown Riverside.

And, they are now fully occupied.

It didn't take long.

There were people waiting.

- Right, right.

- And, the Housing Authority for the City of Riverside did a fine job of getting those filled immediately.

- Right.

Wow.

- And now, that's a project now that is managed by the City of Riverside, the Housing Authority, plus Riverside Housing Development Corporation.

So, we don't operate that.

We don't man that, but we were basically the developer.

- Right.

Wow.

- For the project.

- Wow.

- But, you know?

We were bringing people together!

We had volunteers coming from all over the place to help build these cottages.

- Right.

- And, not exactly what's in our normal list of to-dos (Joe chuckles) at Habitat.

- So, with that in mind, tell us how you-?

We know that the folks that you work with often will be low income, or whatever else.

How do they come across you?

How do they connect to you?

And, also, how do the volunteers come to Habitat for Humanity?

Because it is one of those things where, you know, everybody wants to-?

You know, people that volunteer?

This is kinda like, Hey, this is something that a lot of people do or that they think about, or that they talk about.

Tell me how you come across those folks.

- Well?

The families themselves that are interested, our target audience, low-income families who are currently renting in Riverside County.

- Mm hm.

- So, they find us out through county offices, through different departments, local cities.

They refer them over to us.

And, we have an application package, just like you would be if you were walking into the bank to fill out a mortgage package.

And, we take that application.

If we have a build that's gonna be ready soon, then, you know, that'll be an active application.

If not, then we will hold onto it until something comes up.

But, that's how they found out about it.

Some of 'em just-- they'll see a commercial on TV- - Sure.

- and wonder, you know, "Hey, "what's the Habitat, Humane thing?

Do they have pets there or are they a Humane Society?"

Are they habitat?"

You know, "What are they?"

- Right.

- But, they see a commercial and it gets them interested.

And so, our website, www.habitatriverside.org - Okay.

- It's where they can find out more information, and a number to call.

And, that's also where the volunteers can find out where to volunteer.

- Gotcha.

- So, we take individual volunteers.

But we also, and this is where we do most of our volunteering, is with local companies and corporations, and service organizations and churches, and other nonprofits that want to come together and, as a community, and help build these new homes.

Or, even do some of our other projects 'cause we do more than just build homes.

- Right.

Wow.

Now, tell us about that!

I mean, you know, because you do, do a lot of stuff.

- We have a program called A Brush With Kindness.

- Mmm!

- Which sounds like it's painting, which it is!

- Right.

Gotcha.

- So, it's painting the homes of low-income homeowners that are either not able to do that themselves or are either seniors or maybe handicapped.

Or, are not able to do it on their own or hire someone to do it.

- Right.

- And so, they apply for the assistance.

And then, we will have a group of volunteers, 15 to 20 volunteers go out there.

And, in one day, hopefully in one day, they'll paint that home.

- Right.

Wow.

- And, there's other little things that need to be done.

Maybe a ramp needs to be repaired, or a railing that needs to be replaced up to their house, on a mobile home.

Or, some yard work that needs to be done.

Or, some landscaping that is not meeting the standards of the mobile home park that they're in.

And we'll assist with that, as well.

- Tell me about-?

You guys also do repair projects.

- Right, we do.

We have a Critical Home Repair program.

And, that's a little bit more than just the painting and light landscaping.

That's where you've got somebody who's got a damaged roof.

- Okay.

- And, in some cases needs to be completely replaced.

Or, they have some plumbing issues, or they've got some flooring issues where there's maybe some mold or mildew.

And, you know, when you start digging into it, you realize this whole thing has to be replaced.

Now, we do those projects with the local cities.

Right now, we have a contract with the City of Moreno Valley.

- Okay.

- And so, we do those Critical Home Repair projects with the City of Moreno Valley.

But, we are always looking to expand into other cities, as well!

So, if any other cities that are out there that are looking to want us to help them out with our Critical Home Repair program, we'd love to listen.

- And, speaking of folks who help- volunteers- let's talk to a couple of volunteers and a business partner, and a Habitat family.

[light upbeat music] ♪ - I am Bailey Mckeehan.

I work at Habitat for Humanity, Riverside.

And, I'm the Family Services Manager.

We are in the ReStore.

It's open to the public.

Anybody can come here.

It provides (service bell rings) everything that you can think of!

Anything that people need for their home: decor, for flooring, for construction, for repairs, for lighting.

Anything you can think of, we have.

It comes from big box stores, from construction workers, from the everyday person that's moving, or estate sales.

It comes from all walks of life.

And, we get all sorts of things.

A lot of furniture, a lot of antiques.

Sometimes we'll get floor samples from big box stores that have too much, and they're trying to get rid of their product that doesn't sell.

And then, we get it.

Which, is fantastic because people get heavily discounted furniture for a fraction of the price that it would be at the store.

And, it's the same item.

We offer opportunities for people that buy fixer uppers, for first-time home buyers and that need those kind of repairs and can't afford Home Depot or Lowe's prices.

So, they come here with us for our discounted prices.

It also helps people that need to renovate their home 'cause we have bathroom fixtures.

We have lighting.

We have furniture.

We have home decor.

I mean, if you're trying to sell your home and show it, we got all the stuff that you need.

We also help low-income families with home repair through two of our programs.

A Brush With Kindness that helps the exterior of the home by painting it.

And, preserve the home so they can live in it and be proud of the home that they have.

The other one is Critical Home Repair.

And, we offer health and safety repairs in the home.

So like, ADA modifications; citation repairs, when they're getting citations from cities.

Flooring.

Plumbing's a big one!

Electrical's a big one.

Roofing.

So, that kind of stuff is huge for keeping our community together, for keeping our community safe and keeping our community whole by repairing the homes and letting them stay in the homes.

- Hi, I'm Heather.

This is my house.

I live here with my two children.

The people behind me are from Habitat for Humanity and volunteers from Bank of America.

- My name is Ryan Brown.

I'm a consumer investments market leader here in the Temecula market.

I also am a co-chair for volunteerism for the Inland Empire.

- My name is Dawn Howard.

And, my specialty here, or what I specialize in is I am a supervisor for the volunteers.

- [Ryan] We have, you know, a unit that needs some paint.

So, what we're is we're painting the base of the home and then also the trim.

So, our associates, like I said, about 40 to 45 of them are out here, just making sure that this person's getting a brand new home.

- [Heather] So, we bought this house about a year and a half ago, and we spent a lot of time remodeling it.

But, there was no more funds for the outside and the cosmetics to make it fit in with our neighborhood.

- [Dawn] We're never islands to ourselves.

A lot of us try to be.

I was one of them.

And, it's difficult.

And so, when people are in need and there's someone to help fill that need, it's a wonderful feeling.

- [Ryan] I think Habitat does a great job with coming out and providing that service to, you know, to residents in the area.

So, I think it's important because, you know, some people that aren't able to, you know, to afford to do these things, they have the ability to lean on Habitat, to really upkeep their home and make it the home they want it to be for their families.

- [Heather] I'm incredibly grateful.

I've been excited since they told me they were coming.

I've been telling all my work friends know that today's painting day!

(laughs) So, I've been very excited.

When all of the volunteers showed up today, I teared up a little bit 'cause I'm just so grateful that all these people took their day to come help me and my children have a house we can be proud of.

- [Dawn] Not everybody has what is needed to maintain their home.

And so, without Habitat, I think it would be harder for those who can't.

(plane whirring overhead) And, we don't necessarily give, but we help them help themselves.

This homeowner here, Heather, she did her part.

Like, taking care of mowing the weeds and picking the weeds and moving things out of the way so our painters can get to the paint, painting the surfaces that they need to paint.

So, she did her part, and she's painting right now.

So, she's assisting in preserving her home.

And so, that gives a person a sense of pride and that's what we need more of.

Not, you know, "let someone else do it."

- [Ryan] We have a lot of non-profits that Bank of America work with.

I personally like working with Habitat in Riverside because the feeling-?

The residents are out here; you get to meet them.

You get to shake hands with them and really feel that impact, and really feel that you're making a difference in someone's individual life.

- [Heather] I'm just incredibly grateful that they gave me this opportunity.

And, Habitat for Humanity is giving my family this opportunity.

And, for all the volunteers that came out today.

[light upbeat music] ♪ - [Joe] Tell me about-- You know, because you've been involved with Habitat.

Now, you haven't always been, you know, the head of Riverside or the head of San Bernardino.

But, you've always been connected.

And you sit on the state board, as well.

Right?

- The Habitat for Humanity California, as a board; yes.

- So, as a volunteer, in multiple roles, you've really been able to look through the window and sometimes "in the house", no pun intended, for Habitat for Humanity.

How has it changed?

Has it been just a shift toward this incredible need for housing?

Has it changed in other ways?

At the risk of asking a very broad question, when I say "how has it changed over the years", what comes to mind for you?

- Well?

When I started at Habitat, and it's been just six years now.

- Okay.

- Home ownership was not a topic discussed much in Sacramento.

- Okay.

- Affordable housing was.

- [Joe] Right.

- But, usually that answer came in the form of apartment buildings.

- Sure.

- Multi-family housing.

- [Joe] Right.

- Because of our efforts that we've had with our elected officials in Sacramento, we have created an awareness of home ownership as being one of the biggest answers, if not the biggest answer, to pull people out of this cycle of, you know, "I'm not getting anywhere."

You know?

"I'm not improving.

"My family-- What have I been able to put away for my family?"

- Sure.

- You know, generational wealth isn't even discussed by some people.

They're just trying to get by day by day.

- Right.

- But, home ownership gives them that step up into that generational wealth opportunity and to leave something behind for their children and their children's children.

- Mm hm.

And, in Sacramento, it just-- It appeared that affordable housing wasn't including home ownership.

Whereas now, you go up there, and you'll talk to some of our elected officials.

They go, "Hey, Habitat!"

(Joe laughs) And, it's a changed environment.

- Right.

- I know that the governor's budget is challenging right now.

- Right.

Sure.

- And, that housing is right there on the line for getting slashed as far as the funding goes for that.

But, we continue to say how important it is for home ownership in the Inland Empire, specifically for us to have families succeed and be successful generation after generation.

- So, this is one of-- maybe this is in the multiple hat category.

Is it safe to say you wear the advocacy hat with the organization as well in terms that has you in contact with the public officials and things?

- I do, as do all of my counterparts- - Mm hm.

- plus some other ones have staff members if there's a larger affiliate.

They have staff that does advocacy, whether it's L.A. or San Diego, Orange County, Sacramento.

They have others that are advocating just alongside as what we are doing- - Right.

- with our elected officials.

And, it doesn't have to be always in Sacramento!

We visit people here locally, as well.

- Right.

I have a theory!

And, you, with the background that you have, having been in Los Angeles County, et cetera, can give me your thoughts on it.

And, our theory is that the Inland Empire from a funding standpoint, whether you're talking about government or whether you're talking about priorities in terms of nonprofit funding, is often left behind.

And/or, and maybe this is why; It's almost like sometimes it doesn't have its own identity separate from Los Angeles County or separate from these other areas.

I'm sure you gotta have some thoughts on that given your background and given your familiarity with these areas.

- Well, I've been in the Inland Empire now for 35 years.

- Okay, gotcha.

- So, yes.

The roots are in L.A. County.

- Sure.

- But, when I see Riverside and San Bernardino not getting what I say is the "fair share", I have to say somethin'.

- Sure.

- And, when I see the nonprofits in other areas being rewarded funding through other various sources that we would have access to, as well.

- Right.

- But, because they might be a little bit more high profile, you know?

And, they forget about, "oh, those guys out there in the Inland Empire."

- Right.

- But, hey!

We are the ones that have been addressing the high density issues for these years as people have been migrating east.

- Right.

Sure.

- And, settling here.

- Yeah.

- And, we've been the answer in the Inland Empire.

And, if we had more funding out here, we've got the land!

- Right.

Sure.

Yeah.

That's right.

- We've got the land.

All we have to do now is get the funding, and we'll build.

- Right.

Yeah.

- Just give us the green, and we'll build!

(both laughing) Yeah!

Is there a success story, or stories, that kind of reminds you why you do what you do?

Somethin' out there?

- You know, there's a family in San Bernardino that-- This lady, she applied, I believe it was in the year 2001 for a Habitat House for the mortgage.

- Right.

- But, couldn't qualify.

- Right.

- And, this is a lady that came from another country with a number of kids, and was supporting them by working two and three jobs.

And now, the kids started moving out and going out on their own.

And, some of her kids started having their own kids and had families there.

So, three generations now that were still living in the apartments.

- Wow.

- She was persistent.

She was consistently persistent- - [Joe] Sure.

- in applying that "This is what God wants me to do.

He wants me to have a Habitat House."

- Yeah, yeah.

- And so, she continued until she did finally reach that; qualified.

Her children were old enough to where they had their own jobs.

- Right.

- And, could help with the income to qualify to make the payment.

- Gotcha.

- Now, this is a payment that had no interest.

- Right.

- Because our Habitat mortgages are 0% interest- - Aww!

- equivalent loans.

- Sure.

- So, it's just principal, taxes and insurance.

- Right.

- But, now that she had her kids as part of the household income, she qualified.

- Wow.

- And so, I was there when we were able to build the house and put her in that home that she had waited 17, 18 years for.

- Mm hm.

- Maybe more.

18 years.

- Wow.

- [David] Yeah!

- Wow.

That's incredible.

And, she all along, she says, "This is what God wanted.

"I thank the Lord.

"Every time I walk through my front door, "I thank Habitat, and I thank the Lord that I finally have my home!"

- Wow.

Look at that!

- So, it was very inspirational to watch her through the process.

And, have her come out and watch the home being built and have her two little grandkids that are now living in-- They're probably not little anymore!

- Right!

(laughs) - Watch that whole process happen, as well.

- Well, this has been a pleasure.

I want to thank you David Hahn, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity, Riverside.

- Well, it was my pleasure.

But, before we leave-?

Deb or Don?

(footsteps) - Ahh.

- This is something for ya!

So, when you come out and volunteer- - Right!

Yeah!

- at our next construction site, you will be ready to go!

- Now, yeah.

This is a deposit in the future!

So, this means I really have to come.

- [David] You're committed!

- Yeah, I'm committed.

I can't have the hat, the hard hat, and not do the work.

So-!

- I would've brought the hammer, but I thought something might happen.

So-!

- Ohh!

Yeah.

So, yeah!

This is, I can work with this.

This is fantastic.

I thank you so much for being here.

Thank you so much.

- My pleasure.

- Thank you.

And, once again, another amazing, amazing organization letting you know how lives are being changed in the Inland Empire on a daily basis.

We're glad that you joined us.

Let everybody know they can see us on YouTube.

Not only see this episode and other episodes, but additional content you wouldn't have seen otherwise.

So, till next time, make sure, let everyone know.

Come on back.

Watch us as we show how things are changing for the better, one conversation at a time.

Till then, Joe Richardson, for "Inland Edition" signing off.

[uplifting music and vocals] ♪ [softer music and vocals] ♪ ♪ ♪ [music fades]