Alle-Kiski Valley Habitat for Humanity finishes 18th home

Certain things are missing in Alyson Rapone's new home.

Not a single room in the two-story house along West 10th Avenue is carpeted. There's no kitchen table. And there's no clutter.

It's exactly the way Rapone wants it. She said the things the home lacks are what she appreciates most about it.

"It's wonderful," she said.

Habitat for Humanity Allegheny Valley built the house, which features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen island and a heated tile floor on the first level.

It's the 18th home built by the chapter since 1998 and the second in Tarentum. By next summer, chapter officials hope to have their 19th home built along Fifth Avenue in Arnold.

Habitat for Humanity Allegheny Valley has become the most active chapter in the Alle-Kiski Valley. Executive Director Diane Belitskus said her chapter's Restore in New Kensington has been good for name recognition and has helped raise money for building homes.

Habitat volunteers broke ground on Rapone's house in September and completed the finishing touches last month, Belitskus said. Volunteers and officials dedicated the house on Sunday.

Rapone and her two children moved into the house about a month ago, and Rapone said she couldn't put into words how grateful she is.

"I can't believe the space they gave me here," she said. "None of it is really wasted space. The design ... I just love it."

The house has no carpet because Rapone has three dogs, two cats, a macaw and a cockatoo. Those pets have a habit of ruining carpet, she indicated.

Rapone said all of her furniture is leather because she doesn't want fur and stains collecting on fabric.

As for the missing kitchen table, Rapone said she wanted the island instead because it's more useful.

Rapone pointed out smaller details in the house she was proud of, including the snakeskin-print wallpaper in her downstairs bathroom and the plain, white walls in her son's bedroom. Her son, Thomas Donnely, 16, plans to graffiti his bedroom walls, she said.

Rapone said her daughter, Kayla Morrison, 18, also will live there.

"We were putting in a lot of hours here," said Rapone, who works highway construction with Laborers Local 1058. "I spent some 16-hour days here just trying to get it done."

Habitat for Humanity requires that applicants show need for a home and that recipients put "sweat equity" into the construction process.

Rapone said she worries that people misunderstand what Habitat for Humanity really offers.

"Habitat is not free," she said. "I have a mortgage just like everyone else. The difference is that there's no interest on the loan."

Payments go to a Habitat fund to build more houses.

Additional Information:

Local chapters

Several Habitat for Humanity chapters are active in the Alle-Kiski Valley. They include:

• Allegheny Valley, 1913 Freeport Road, Natrona Heights, PA 15065

• Armstrong, P.O. Box 837, Kittanning, PA 16201

• Butler County, P.O. Box 230, Butler, PA 16003

• Kiski Valley, 320 Beaver Run Road, Apollo, PA 15613

To learn more about them, or to donate, visit here .