'Urban' Renewal in Knoxville

'Urban' Renewal in Knoxville

Country Star Keith Urban joins Charlie and Moll Anderson to Present Keys to New Habitat for Humanity Homeowner

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Country music recording artist Keith Urban is giving new meaning to the term "urban renewal" in Knoxville today when he presents keys to the homeowner for the newest house on Knoxville's "Music Row" - a Knoxville Habitat for Humanity initiative inspired and funded by the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation. Charlie Anderson is the head of Anderson Merchandisers.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110812/CL51830 )

The house is the second of what will be 10 homes planned for "Music Row" in Lonsdale in as many years. The houses are underwritten by the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation from an annual benefit concert featuring a country music act. Keith Urban performed at the fundraiser last fall that netted $250,000 for Knoxville Habitat for Humanity.

Homeowner Regina Olum, 44, who lives in the four-bedroom home with her son and her mother, is proud that her home will be known as "The Keith Urban House."

"I think I screamed when I found out it was Keith Urban," said Olum. "I'm a huge country music fan - and of Keith Urban - and it is very exciting for me."

"It's a real honor to be a part of this for Regina," Urban said. "It's a beautiful thing when a house becomes more than walls and a roof but a place where memories are made."

Even though the homes are underwritten by the foundation, they are not given away. In lieu of a down payment, Olum and all homeowners in the Habitat for Humanity program are required to complete 500 hours of sweat equity, mostly in the form of budgeting and homeowner classes. In addition, the family pays a mortgage on the home at zero-percent interest over 25 to 30 years. The mortgage payments go back into building more simple, decent and affordable homes.

"We choose to support Habitat for Humanity through our foundation because of the incredible impact it makes in the lives of the families and for our community," said Charlie Anderson. "Families are given a hand up to move into a brand new home of their own, while neighborhoods in the city and county are replacing blighted lots with new homes that add value and revenue to city and county tax rolls."

Moll Anderson, who has been recognized with a "Women of Hope" award by the Donna Karan organization for her work on the "Music Row" project, agrees with her husband.

"Shelter is one of the most basic needs we have as human beings," she said. "Every family deserves to have a decent place to live, to have food on the table and to be able to have access to educational opportunities - and those are the things that we support through the work of our foundation."

SOURCE Anderson Family Foundation

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110812/CL51830
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Anderson Family Foundation

CONTACT: Mike Cohen, Cohen Communications Group, +1-865-659-4750, Mike@Cohencommunicationsgroup.com; Dan Hurst, Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, +1-865-293-8012, Dhurst@khfh.com

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