The House That Love Built:
Del Mar author pens biography of Habitat for Humanity founders

Millard Fuller’s life story is a mix of inspiration, high drama and pathos – an ambitious, intelligent student works his way through college and law school by running a number of small businesses, continues his rise in business after graduation and becomes a millionaire before he turns 30. In spite of his material wealth, he loses sight of what matters in life and nearly derails his marriage and family life. He reaffirms his love for his wife, gives away his fortune, and embarks on a spiritual quest to find his true purpose in life.

After sojourns at a communal farm in Georgia, and building homes for the poor in Zaire, he comes back to the United States and founds the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. He and his wife, Linda, shepherd the Christian-based organization for nearly 30 years, turning it into an international powerhouse that builds shelter for more than 1 million people in 100 countries. In 2005, after sparring with Habitat’s board of directors over philosophical differences and sexual harassment allegations, Fuller is fired along with his wife, and he soon founds a new organization dedicated to building and repairing homes for the poor. If it sounds like the basis of a page-turner or feel-good Hollywood blockbuster, stay tuned: Del Mar author Bettie B. Youngs has just come out with a biography of the Fullers called The House That Love Built, and she says a producer, director and screenwriter are already at work on a film adaptation

The biography was released on Oct. 15 by Hampton Roads Publishing Co., and Youngs, the author of 36 books, is enthusiastic both about her latest project, and its subject, the charismatic, visionary and deeply religious founder of Habitat for Humanity. “He’s an icon,” said Youngs of the 72-year-old Fuller. “When he walks into a room, people stand up. People give him a standing ovation before he starts speaking.”

Youngs said she has been friends with the Fullers for 25 years, and has pounded nails at a number of Habitat for Humanity projects over the years. Most recently, she said, she helped build homes in Shreveport, La., with the couple’s new organization, the Fuller Center for Housing. The center is based in Americus, Ga., where Habitat is also headquartered, and is a stone’s throw from Plains, Ga., home of former President Jimmy Carter, Habitat’s most famous volunteer.

“They’re so pure, you just cannot believe how focused they area, they only have one direction,” said Youngs of Millard and Linda Fuller, who have four grown children.

Fuller is equally pleased about Youngs’ new book. In a telephone interview from his home in Georgia, the Habitat founder said, “We are so grateful to Bettie. We couldn’t be happier with the book.” Although proud of his work with Habitat, Fuller has thrown himself into building his new organization and continuing the work of providing what he calls decent and affordable housing for people in every country throughout the world. During his years with Habitat, Fuller said, more than 200,00

“It’s not nearly enough. It’s just the beginning really,” said Fuller.

A devout Christian, Fuller said he wants to keep working toward the dream that has shaped much of his adult life, to go to every community and every country in the world “and plant the simple idea that everybody who lives there should have a decent place to live.” Habitat’s over-arching philosophy, which now also serves as the underpinning of the Fuller Center, is to build modest homes, appropriate to the communities where they are located. The national Habitat organization supports more than 1,600 “affiliates” throughout the world, which have their own leadership and carry out their own home-building projects. Under the blueprint devised by Fuller starting in 1976, the Habitat affiliates collect donations of cash and building materials, then enlist the labor of volunteers to build the homes. The future homeowners also swing hammers, investing “sweat equity” in the projects. The homeowners then pay back a no-interest mortgage to reimburse Habitat for the material costs, and the mortgage money is used to fund new projects.

Before the Fullers’ firing, the Habitat board had leveled sexual harassment allegations against Millard Fuller, which Fuller strenuously denied. According to published accounts, the allegations involved a female employee who said he acted inappropriately when she gave him a ride to the Atlanta airport in 2003. The Habitat board later issued a written statement saying it had found insufficient evidence to substantiate the charges, but that Fuller had not cooperated with the investigation.

Fuller said people often ask how he feels about his firing as Habitat’s chief executive officer. “It wasn’t stolen from me. I never owned it,” he said of Habitat, because he always answered to a higher power.

“There was a total philosophical difference” between the board and himself, Fuller said, “and I lost.” Fuller outlined a number of differences between his approach and that of the Habitat board. For example, he said, the board wanted to move Habitat’s headquarters from Americus to Atlanta, which he resisted. He said the board wanted to increase salaries for top administrators. At the time of his firing, Fuller earned $79,000 per year, and his successor, Jonathon T. M. Reckford, was hired at a salary of $210,000 annually.

Fuller was even criticized by the Habitat board for flying coach, when he could have been sitting in first class and networking with other CEOs, according to Youngs.

Another controversial move came when Habitat demanded that affiliates “tithe,” or contribute, 10 percent of their donations to the national group for use in international operations. According to an Oct. 17 New York Times article, Habitat recently took action to “disaffiliate” inactive or uncooperative local groups. “They’re throwing people out, I would never do that. It’s a more cold-blooded corporate approach, rather than a nurturing missionary approach,” Fuller said.

“Habitat has always been a social and religious movement, not a corporate business,” he said. As an example, under a long-standing tradition, Habitat volunteers present both the house key and a Bible to the new homeowner when a house is completed. In spite of his disagreements with the Habitat board, Fuller said he does not believe the group’s current leadership is mean-spirited or out to harm the organization. Rather, he said, he is convinced his approach has proven highly successful, and should continue to govern the organization. He continues to support Habitat’s affiliates, and believes both organizations have a place in the arena of providing housing for the poor.

“I haven’t noticed there’s a shortage of need. I see us (the Fuller Center) as complementary to what Habitat is doing. I wish Habitat well,” Fuller said. And as long as his health permits, he plans to continue evangelizing to anyone who will listen, both in the United States and around the world, for the cause of decent housing.

“With a vision, it’s amazing what can be accomplished,” Fuller said. “The knowledge of how to build houses is in great profusion in the world. What is in short supply is the will to solve the problem.

“I am a vigorous and healthy guy,” said Fuller, whose hobbies include water skiing, riding motorcycles and climbing mountains. He insisted he has no plans to retire or even slow down. “What I do is a great joy.”