In their old rental house, winter utility bills topping $200 were commonplace for Frank and Robin Swetich. In their new home, they can expect to pay no more than $60. As important to the Swetiches as saving money are the accessibility features in their new Habitat home.

Robin encourages everyone who thinks they might qualify for a Habitat house to apply.  "Just try," she says. "This is a new start for us."

When your house is your prison

Copper Country Habitat for Humanity in Hancock, Mich., was the northernmost builder for 2005's Jimmy Carter Work Project in Michigan. And boy, was it northern!

In an average winter, the area gets more than 200 inches of snow accumulation. Therefore, the affiliate puts a premium on energy efficiency. It builds only Energy Star homes that keep Habitat families warmer—for less money.

Lower utilities sound good to Frank and Robin Swetich, who will dedicate their house in collaboration with the work project in June. In their old rental house, winter utility bills topped $200; in their new house, they can expect to pay no more than $60. Their mortgage payment will be around $300—what they pay for rent now—so they are eager to see their savings add up.

As important to the Swetiches as saving money are the accessibility features of their new Habitat home. Frank has a degenerative disease, and he will eventually be confined to a wheelchair. Already the difficulty of negotiating the stairs leading into their rental home leaves him a virtual prisoner in the house.

The Swetiches' Habitat house will be equipped with a ramp, wide halls and doorways, a shower that will accommodate a wheelchair, and open countertops and vanities so that Frank will be able to roll his wheelchair close enough to use the kitchen and bathroom sinks and counters.

"Habitat is willing to work with you," Robin says. The affiliate altered its building plans not only to help make the house accessible, but also to put the kitchen facing the backyard, where Robin anticipates their 3-year-old daughter Harleyanne will spend much of her time.

"We're almost always in the kitchen," Robin explains. "I just want to be able to keep an eye on her while she's out playing. [The affiliate was] great about letting us switch some things around to make it work for us."

Robin encourages everyone who thinks they might qualify for a Habitat house to apply. "Just try," she says. "This is a new start for us."