HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SEARCHES AREA; NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION NEEDS LOCATIONS FOR 2 HOMES.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

Habitat for Humanity is planning to build two homes, probably in Val Verde or Newhall, but officials still are searching for suitable sites that the organization can afford.

The best-case scenario would be that the modest homes could be completed by the end of the year, but that all hinges on whether the group can find parcels of land on which to build, said Molly Hodson, a Valencia real estate agent who is a member of the local chapter's board of directors.

``The county of Los Angeles has pledged $30,000 toward land acquisition,'' Hodson said. ``The condition for that (grant) is that we have to raise the money (to build) the houses.''

Habitat for Humanity, founded in 1976 and based in Atlanta, has constructed more than 60,000 homes around the world. Through 1999, its San Fernando-Santa Clarita valleys affiliate plans to build 94 homes in the regions, said Judy Aquino, a spokeswoman for the group.

Current projects include nine homes under construction in the 8800 block of Willis Avenue in Panorama City, and an eight-unit town-home complex on Elmwood Avenue in Burbank, Aquino said. In the latter project, the city of Burbank provided the group with the land, she said.

``We're looking for land in Santa Clarita, and we're seeking out funds to be able to do that,'' Aquino added. ``We're targeting both Newhall and Val Verde because those seem to be the most affordable areas to (the group).''

The homes likely will include three bedrooms, two baths for one and four bedrooms, two baths for the other, said Linda Mueller, a spokeswoman for Bank of America, which donated $2,500 to the local Habitat for Humanity branch. ``The grant would be for the construction (costs), not the land purchase,'' she said.

Bank of America, through its community grants program, has donated more than $50,000 to Southern California chapters of Habitat for Humanity, Mueller said.

Officials hope to find landowners willing to donate or sell parcels at a reduced price in exchange for a tax write-off, Aquino said.

The charitable organization can't afford to spend more than $20,000 on land acquisition. Generally, Habitat for Humanity builds homes that are 1,100 square feet to 1,300 square feet in size, and they typically are priced in the $100,000 to $110,000 range.

``Last year at the (Santa Clarita Valley) Business Expo, we had so many people signing up, wanting to volunteer'' to build the homes, Hodson said.

The group screens applicants carefully to pick the most suitable buyers for the homes. ``They obviously have to be working. They have to be drug-free and alcohol-free,'' Hodson added, ``the kind of people that you'd like next door, who are trying to make it and just need a helping hand.''