Habitat for Humanity completes 2 homes in Grand Canyon tribal village

PHOENIX — The Grand Canyon is now home to, well, two new homes, officials announced on Tuesday.

Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers from across Arizona worked with members of the Havasupai Tribe to build the two homes. They’re in the Supai Village in the southwestern portion of the Grand Canyon.

It’s an “unprecedented collaboration,” according to a news release shared with media outlets.

The homes will benefit the tribe, according to Jason Barlow, the president and CEO of Habitat Central Arizona.

“We are excited to see firsthand the positive impact they will have on the Havasupai Tribe,” Barlow said in the news release. “This project aligns with our mission of building a better future and stronger communities for all Arizonans.”

How the two new homes in the Grand Canyon came to be

Tribal Chairwoman Bernadine Jones said the Tribal Council wanted to partner with an entity that respected the community’s culture.

“It was extremely important to the Tribal Council that our homebuilding partner not only provide a suitable housing option but did so with respect for our cultural and the privacy of our community,” Jones said in the release.

Searching for a partner that fit the bill led them to Habitat for Humanity, which spent 14 weeks building the homes. Construction required an enormous team of volunteers and staff. More than 150 members of Habit for Humanity labored to bring the buildings to life.

The housing materials were trucked to Hualapai Hilltop and flown in by helicopter when needed, officials said.

Some of the airborne materials included prefabricated wall panels manufactured at the Habitat for Humanity CHUCK Center, which is in Tucson. The purpose of this new facility is to find affordable housing solutions as well as to bolster workforce development in the trades.

“Habitat’s long history of providing affordable housing and bringing communities together made them the perfect partner for this project,” Jones said.