A future home. Or two, for that matter.

First Community Bank donated an 181-foot by 297-foot vacant parcel to Habitat for Humanity, and even though no home for low-income family is planned there yet, officials are excited about the acquisition.

“Land donations are always a big help, because obviously that is a big part of the expense of putting a house up,” said Habitat President Dave Shotwell. “Anytime you can get a donation like that, it makes everything else easier.”

Habitat Affiliate Coordinator Beverly King said the organization has received land donations in the past, but this was the first from First Community.

“We haven't decided what to do with it as of yet,” King said Wednesday. “It's a nice piece of property. We might be able to split it and put two houses there.”

The land is on LaLonde Street just off Lasley Street, she explained.

Randy Powers, vice president of First Community, said the land had returned to the bank in the form of a foreclosure, and was not being used to its potential.

“There seems to be an abundance of land for sale, and we felt it would be more valuable to give to Habitat and the community for their own purposes,” Powers explained.

He said he had floated the idea of the land donation a few months ago, and was pleased to be able to contribute to the Habitat for Humanity effort.

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses, and the homeowners put sweat equity into the project by working the home that they will live in.

The Cheboygan County Habitat has built 17 homes in the county.