Habitat founder rips greed

Little Rock, Ark. —- The founder of Habitat for Humanity International said Wednesday the nation’s current mortgage crisis stems from a greed-fueled society confused about its wants and needs.

Millard Fuller told an audience at the University of Arkansas Clinton School for Public Service that blame fell on those living in excess of what they can afford. He said the crisis even has forced some families out of homes built by the Georgia-based nonprofit he once headed.

“We have confused, as a society, wants and needs, and a lot of people have raised up their wants way above their needs and way above their abilities to support all those wants,” Fuller said. “What we have got to do is get back to the basics in difficult economic times like this and explain to people that you will not wither up and die if you don’t have that wide-screen TV.”

After his speech, Fuller said that blame also fell on those lenders who set adjustable-rate mortgages it knew buyers couldn’t pay for. He said those lenders should be “ashamed,” even if the people who purchased those homes should have known better.

“The lenders are more sophisticated in finance than some of these homeowners are and they have a responsibility,” Fuller said. “What they were doing was just irresponsibly trying to sell the biggest and most expensive houses they could and not explaining the fine print.”

Fuller and his wife Linda Fuller founded Habitat for Humanity in 1976. The organization gave homes to those with a need, able to handle a no-interest mortgage, and willing to invest “sweat equity” by working on their homes or other Habitat homes. Under his watch, the organization grew to building homes in 100 countries.

Fuller was fired from Habitat’s presidency in January 2005 after more than a year of tension sparked by allegations that he sexually harassed a female colleague. Habitat’s board concluded there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the charge, and the official reason for the dismissal was a pattern of divisive and disruptive comments.

He founded the Fuller Center for Housing after his ouster, also aimed at providing safe, affordable housing to the poor. Now, his organization, which is based in Americus, repairs homes of the elderly, often leaving a “donation box” behind so residents on fixed incomes can pay off the costs without resorting to a mortgage.

“They’re in relatively good health and don’t live in a nursing home, but they can’t afford to fix the house,” Fuller said. “They’re all over.”

In Arkansas’ capital city, Fuller acknowledged a growing need for better housing for the poor. Recently, a group affiliated with the Fuller Center has incorporated, hoping to meet those needs, said Charles Ray, who works with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas. Fuller and the group spoke with business and community leaders about the new effort Wednesday.

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> For more information about this topic: The Fuller Center for Housing: www.fullercenter.org