As Habitat for Humanity volunteers pound out the last few homes at Hillcrest East in Cobb County, the local affiliate is gearing up for its next campaign.

Hillcrest East, just off of Hillcrest Drive in Austell, is the second and final phase of a building project that broke ground in late 2005.

Dubbed "Building on Tradition," the group's campaign took it in a new direction: constructing bigger houses and designing them much the same way for-profit developers do —with an eye toward color, look, style and landscaping.

The Habitat affiliate raised $10 million and constructed nearly 100 houses in Cobb. One of its houses at Hillcrest East is sponsored by GMAC Financial Services. The company donated $60,000 for the construction, and GMAC employees will help build the house.

About a half-dozen other homes also are under construction in the subdivision.

For its next campaign, the Habitat affiliate has a new name and a new goal.

Cobb Habitat for Humanity officially became Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Metro Atlanta in June, said John Kerwood, the executive director.

With the new name, the nonprofit group merges with Habitat in Douglas County – construction of the first house under the new name already has begun in Douglas – and introduces its concept of building "simple, decent, affordable housing" for low-income buyers to Paulding County.

The group will kick off a fund-raising campaign for its new projects later this month at the Cobb Galleria Centre. The campaign, "Building Neighborhoods that Work," seeks to raise $12.5 million by 2012.

Kerwood said the group is committing $8 million and hopes to raise the rest in private gifts and donations from Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties. It already has $1.4 million pledged, including $400,000 from The Home Depot, the lead sponsor. Mount Bethel United Methodist Church has committed $500,000.

"We have some companies that have said they have eliminated their charitable giving altogether," Kerwood said. "Some are saying, 'Sorry we don't have any money this year.' It's more difficult to find sponsors....It's not more difficult to find buyers. We still have a need for affordable housing."