The Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio, Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service and OU’s Center for Community Impact joined forces to build an affordable home for a family in Ross County.
The project, dubbed “The Bobcat Build,” is set to begin construction Oct. 23; however, construction on individual walls, which are not being put up yet, began Saturday.
During the initial wall-building process, students and volunteers were invited to write messages and leave artwork on the beams that will comprise the walls of the home.
Construction is expected to conclude by the end of March 2027. Then, the house will be transported to its final site in Ross County.
The project is currently building one house, but Courtney Lefebvre, the interim executive director of the CCI, said she hopes to make the project annual.
“One is the goal this year, but our hope is that this becomes an annual project, and we will see how it goes this year with the pilot,” Lefebvre said. “I'm hoping that we might be able to do additional houses in future years, but we'll at least commit to one a year for now.”
According to the Housing in Athens County 2024 Report, a report done by the Athens County Foundation and the Voinovich School, for every 10 households with extremely low incomes, there are only 3.5 units of available and affordable housing.
The report also showed that while prices for rental units and homes increased dramatically since 2018, there were just four permits issued in Athens County for single-family homes in 2023 and zero issued for multi-family homes.
Once the house is moved to Ross County, Habitat for Humanity and OU’s Chillicothe campus will collaborate to finish the project.
Lefebvre said she is excited to include several OU campuses in The Bobcat Build.
“This is a nice opportunity to really engage our regional campuses and the communities that they're in, and really leverage the institutional footprint that we have,” Lefebvre said. “So I'm excited to be able to start in Athens, but expand the project as well.”
Lefebvre also said the Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio is a critical partner in the project.
“Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio does such amazing work in creative ways to really meet the needs of housing security in our region,” Lefebvre said. “They are just an incredible partner to think about, you know, how we make our region more livable for everybody, regardless of your income level, so I'm really excited.”
According to data released in June 2025 by the Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development entity of the federal government and several state governments, the median household income in Appalachia is $14,000 below the United States average.
Sophia Coyner, a junior studying environmental science and sustainability, is president of OU’s Habitat for Humanity chapter and said the project is especially important for Southeast Ohio.
“In an area like Athens, we do have a big … housing crisis, and just giving back to the community and knowing that you're making a difference, even if it's just for one person, is the overall goal,” Coyner said. “It's really important that we are doing whatever we can to assist people that need our help.”
Coyner also said the Bobcat Build and projects like it help strengthen neighborhoods.
“Improving homes can contribute to a healthier and more stable neighborhood (and) area,” Coyner said. “Also, it helps … students involved build community and have residents work together towards a shared goal.”
