AUSTELL - Today, Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Metro Atlanta volunteers will begin work on the last three houses in Hillcrest, a neighborhood near Six Flags Over Georgia completely constructed by Habitat. The neighborhood off Hillcrest Drive was started in 2006.

Hillcrest is considered a model of the contemporary neighborhoods that Habitat has begun to construct, said Don Martin, director of development of Habitat Northwest Metro Atlanta.

"The houses we built in Hillcrest are the new generation of Habitat homes that we created," Martin said. "(They're) Craftsmen style, built according to the National Association of Home Builders green model for homes, are consistent with Energy Star ratings, fully landscaped and the neighborhood was designed by an architectural firm according to what they call a streetscape plan, which includes walkways, green areas and things of that nature."

In November, an open house celebration in the neighborhood is planned.

Stephanie Hollins, 34, and her two sons and daughter were one of the first families to move into Hillcrest. A former renter, she now occupies a three-bedroom and two-bathroom home that she said is a dream come true.

"My goal was to own my first home by the time I hit 35," said Hollins, a network analyst. "It's a wonderful feeling to have my own. There's nobody telling me what to do, when to do it or how to do it."

The three homes being constructed today by 120 volunteers are expected to be finished by Oct. 31. When completed, there will be a total of 51 homes in Hillcrest.

Since 1986, when Habitat was started in Cobb, the organization has built 316 homes in Cobb and Douglas counties. This year, it has built eight homes in Cobb, but is unlikely to build more this year because of its recent service area expansion.

In 2008, Habitat merged its Cobb and Douglas operations, and has begun servicing Paulding County to form what's now called Habitat Northwest Metro Atlanta.

"It certainly gives us a much broader area to work with," Martin said.

"Taking Douglas and Paulding together and adding that to the number of Cobb County families in need, we've probably doubled that number in terms of the families that we can touch through this program."

Northwest Metro Atlanta Habitat's plans through 2012 are summarized in a four-year, 100-home initiative called 'Building Neighborhoods That Work' in its service area. It builds on the success of the 200-home 'Building on Tradition,' Cobb Habitat initiative from 2004 to 2008.

Creating homeowners is good for a community because it adds taxpayers and people with an interest at stake to local communities, said Martin.

He said Habitat has been able to survive the current housing slump - despite record foreclosures in Cobb and elsewhere - because of how it operates. Of the 316 area homes it has built in 23 years, only six of them foreclosed, he said.

"Habitat as it builds houses creates a sustainability for itself because as we build the houses, we structure the mortgages, and the money is paid back to our Habitat (operations)," Martin said. "So really, Habitat is a home builder, mortgage banker and social services organization."

He said Habitat receives funding from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants and community sponsors. It cost about $35,000 to purchase a lot and about $65,000 to build a house on it, he said.

Martin said Habitat homeowners on average pay about $400 per month on a 20-year mortgage. There is zero interest.

Those wishing to become a Habitat homeowner must be employed. They must also fall within 30 to 80 percent of the area's median income level, which means a family of four typically earns $35,000 per year on average. And they must have a low percentage of debt.

As part of the ownership process, potential Habitat homeowners must volunteer 100 hours constructing their own house and another 100 hours constructing another Habitat home, said Martin. In addition, they must go through financial management and home maintenance courses.

Martin said the one-story Habitat homes are between 1,350- to 1,400-square-feet in size and take about 8 weeks to build.

Leonard Anderson, a 32-year-old truck driver, said the Hillcrest is a close-knit neighborhood and that the Habitat homeownership training helped a lot.

"Being first time homeowners, we had no clue about the financial aspects and maintenance upkeep," Anderson said. "Just the information in general on owning a home gives you insight."

He and his wife, April Anderson still remember when they moved from Chicago to Cobb, in order to make a better life for their two sons and two daughters. Even before construction of their home in Hillcrest began two years ago, the couple would drive past the empty lot just to remind themselves that their dream of owning a home was real.