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PONTIAC, Mich., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County, with the support of Chrysler Financial and Gontina Building and Design, presented the keys to the first affordable, eco-friendly Habitat home in Southeast Michigan to its new owner -- Camisha Byrd -- in a ceremony today at 457 Ferry Street.

  (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081011/CLSA003-a )
  (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081011/CLSA003-b )

Camisha Byrd, a single mother of two, Myles, five, and Mya, three, previously lived in a small, cramped two bedroom apartment that frequently smelled of gas and was located in a problem-ridden neighborhood. "I am deeply grateful that my family will now have a home, it's a dream I thought I could never attain," said Byrd. "To know these wonderful partners have made it even more affordable through green building means better times for us for years to come."

The new Habitat home seeks to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification standards. The home retails for under $100,000 making it the first affordable LEED-certified home in this region. Beyond the reduced cost of the home itself, the home provides sustainable savings by using 30 to 50 percent less energy than other homes of similar size, saving the Byrd family up to $1,000 per year in utility bills.

Through the partnership with Habitat, Chrysler Financial funded the construction and more than 200 Chrysler Financial employee volunteers donated more than 1,700 build hours toward the construction of the home. In addition, Chrysler Financial brought in Gontina, a local building and design firm, to develop the project plan, design the interior and exterior and provide LEED consulting services for the home.

"We are proud to support Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County in its effort to provide affordable and sustainable housing options in the communities where we live and work," said Darryl Jackson, Chief Operating Officer - Chrysler Financial. "And outfitting the home with green features makes it even more affordable for the Byrd family while leaving a smaller environmental footprint."

According to Sally LePla, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County, "Chrysler Financial has been a strong supporter of Habitat across Southeast Michigan for years. This year, at a time when many have closed their purses, this incredible sponsor not only demonstrated an unwavering sense of community and giving back, but they also raised the bar by building our first LEED-certified home."

The one-story, environmentally-friendly home features many locally available building materials from Michigan-based companies like Microposite, who donated the eco-friendly siding for the home. Other sustainable home materials include structural insulated panels and passive solar design strategies. Low volatile, organic compound paint and paperless drywall in the bathrooms provide a healthier indoor environment, while drought-resistant plants and shrubs outside the home reduce the need for watering. The irrigation system is handled by a rainwater harvest system, further reducing the use of water.

In 2007, the U.S. Green Building Council extended its LEED certification process to include homes in its nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED-certified homes give owners an immediate and measurable effect on their home's performance, measured in categories including innovation, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Habitat partner families are required to complete 300 sweat equity hours of work on their new home and participate in group sessions on homeownership, financing, and community involvement.

About Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County

Millard Fuller established Habitat for Humanity in Americus, Georgia, in 1976. A Christian ministry, Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people of all ethnicities, faiths and nations to make "a world where everyone has a decent place to live." Since its founding, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 300,000 homes for over 1.5 million people in 90 nations. Habitat for Humanity built its first home in Oakland County in 1994. Since then, its Oakland County affiliate has built almost 100 homes locally and in places such as Central America and the Gulf Coast of the United States. Habitat Oakland is presently developing the Ferry-Central neighborhood in the city of Pontiac. For more information, visit http://www.habitatoakland.org/.

About Chrysler Financial

Chrysler Financial offers automotive financial products and services to both dealers and consumers of Chrysler, Jeep(R) and Dodge vehicles in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Venezuela. In addition it offers vehicle wholesale and retail financing to more than 3,600 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealers. Nearly three million drivers in the United States enjoy the benefits of financing with Chrysler Financial. Chrysler Financial has an employee base of 4,000 and supports a global portfolio of $70 billion. For more information, visit corp.chryslerfinancial.com.