Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity part of increased effort to provide home repairs for needy residents

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Around 100 homeowners have applied this year for a program that provides free home upgrades to local residents who have accessibility, affordability and safety issues.

"It's a growing need, in the four or five years we've been doing this," said Monique Bos, communications manager with Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity. "We've been able to help 30 homeowners so far this year.

One project in particular installed a new roof Thursday on the home of Edmund and Jennifer Engelbrecht, who live just east of downtown; Edmond is a disabled Army veteran.

The project is part of the Roof Deployment Project program by Owens Corning, a major manufacturer of construction materials; since the project started in 2016, it has installed new roofs for more than 450 military veterans.

Owens Corning supplied the materials for the project and MD Roofing & Solar, a local contractor, provided free labor from a crew of six.

The Engelbrechts bought the home last year after moving from Boulder County and found that it needed major repairs. The couple paid for a new sewer system but could not afford the cost of a new roof, so they applied for the program and were accepted.

"There's no way we could have afforded a new roof on our own," Jennifer said.

Her husband, who served in the Army from 1980 to 1987, is thankful.

"I'm appreciative that people are helping veterans better themselves," Edmond said. "It makes me even prouder to be a veteran."

They said that the home is more than a century old and has three roofs that were added over the years; the crew stripped off the old layers to the wooden base and will apply new roof tiles there.

Work started at 8 a.m. Thursday and was expected to be finished in the afternoon.

Habitat for Humanity also provides volunteers and grant funding for some home projects; Home Depot is also a significant contributor.