On Tuesday morning, recently inaugurated University president Fr. Robert Dowd attended a kick-off event for the “inauguration build” in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The project will see the construction of five new homes on Harrison Avenue in northwest South Bend.
The University expects as many as 1,000 volunteers to participate in the construction. Student participation in the event is being facilitated by the Notre Dame student chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
At the event, Dowd blessed the build and assisted in doing work on the houses. The homes were designed by Notre Dame architecture students.
“Notre Dame’s continued flourishing is inextricably linked to the vitality and prosperity of our local community and this region. An important part of that is ensuring that all people, regardless of background, have access to safe, decent, affordable housing and the financial, social and emotional benefits that come with it,” Dowd said in a statement. “I am pleased to join with the entire campus community in this important project, and look forward to further strengthening our partnerships in South Bend and surrounding communities in the future.”
The project comes soon after Dowd emphasized his intentions during his inaugural speech last Friday to bring Notre Dame closer to South Bend and help “residents who struggle the most.”
“We know that Notre Dame shares a future with South Bend and the broader region,” Dowd also stated during his convocation speech last Friday. “In the long run, we will only attract the faculty, staff and students who desire that this community and all who call it home truly thrive.”
The Notre Dame 2033 Strategic Framework, released last fall, also stated as a goal of the University to improve “engagement with South Bend and the region.” Specifically, the framework highlights the School of Architecture’s “civic efforts to build more stable neighborhoods and a more walkable urban core.”
Notre Dame’s involvement in the build will continue through the week, concluding Friday, Sept. 20. The houses will be ready for residents to move in at some point next year.
