Chillicothe — The Land Bank is partnering with two local Habitat for Humanity divisions to use a grant to offer home repairs, a series of education classes on basic home repair and maintenance…and the dramatic build of a new home on a city lot.
The Ross County Land Bank held a short meeting on August 3rd, 2026, to approve spending “American Rescue Plan Act” (covid) grant funds on the project.
Kenneth Oehlers, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio, accepted that commission. While the local Scioto Valley Habitat serves Ross and Pickaway counties, and works on one house at a time with volunteers – Habitat of Southeast Ohio based in Athens County covers eight counties, and even has a paid construction staff.
Oehlers said they were entering into a strategic partnership with the local Habitat – which is not uncommon – and will put SV Habitat volunteers to use in the project.
Community Action, which focuses on public assistance and homelessness, was originally set to help the Land Bank with the grant – but they supported switching to Habitat as a better fit.
The new build will be a modular home that will be assembled elsewhere and brought in to the lot owned by the Land Bank at 235 Scioto Ave, on the corner of Riverside Street. Oehlers said the new way to build attainable housing will get a dramatic entrance into the city probably in early November, to be finished by Christmas.
He said they hope to announce the locations of their classes in the next week or so. To learn more, apply, volunteer, or donate, he said to visit the websites of Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio or Scioto Valley for Humanity.
Learn about the Land Bank on the city’s website, or search for stories on the Scioto Post.
Hear Oehlers in his own words in the below video interview.
