Habitat for Humanity of Chester County wants to build 40 new houses in West Grove, and a Broomall Township, Delaware County, man won a restored 1973 Mercedes Benz by donating to the cause.

Joe Latarre won the 1973 Mercedes 450 SL in a raffle held during a car show in the parking lot of the New Garden Center on Saturday, Oct. 13. An estimated 280 people plunked down $50 per chance to win the car. Laterre was not present when his name was drawn. The donor was, but he chose to remain anonymous.

The raffle was part of an antique car show and fund-raising effort for Habitat. The organization is looking to raise $60 million in order to build 40 new affordable houses, said Charles “Chip” Huston, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Chester County.

Since 1989, Habitat volunteers have provided housing for 126 families in Coatesville, Downingtown, Phoenixville and West Chester, but Huston said this is the first foray into Southern Chester County for his group, even though it’s been looking for 23 years.

The search, he said, has been business-driven.

“Habitat and the county have been working with numerous housing organizations to discover and plot out where the housing issues are. We’ve heard from businesses that they don’t have places to put employees. There‘s a little bit of a housing shortage, especially quality, affordable housing,” Huston said.

The Chester County Economic Development Council has identified the area west of Kennett as the area as a “hot zone where businesses want to move into,” he said. “If businesses move in, they’re going to want housing. So, from Kennett to Oxford along Route 1, businesses are looking to move in and they’re going to need housing…The western corridor is really important.”

He said he’s not aware of any plans for Habitat to look to the east of Kennett Square.

The plan calls for eight buildings with five townhouses each. Each house would sell for less than $100,000. They are planned as having three bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths. There are also basements that can be converted to an extra bedroom.

The $6 million needed for the project breaks down to $1 million for the land, $1 million for the infrastructure and $4 million for the actual construction.

Huston estimates it will take about a year to raise the money. The first $2 million are needed quickly, but Huston said the remaining $4 million can come in through pledges over the next five years. People can help, he said, by either making a cash donation through the Web site www.hfhcc.org or call 610-384-7993, ext 12.

People can also donate used goods to Habitat’s second-hand store called ReStore. There’s one in the New Garden Center.

Habitat for Humanity began in Georgia by Millard Fuller 1976, but didn’t get national attention until 1981 when former President Jimmy Carter became its first major volunteer. Fuller was Carter’s Sunday school teacher.

The organization has built almost 500,000 worldwide since, but Huston said all of the money raised locally, stays local.

Huston started out as a volunteer for HfHCC while an employee of QVC. He thought so much of the organization that he applied for the executive director’s position when it opened up.

“It’s been a blast ever since,” he said.

Top Dead Center Motor Club, a Chester County organization that sponsors numerous car shows each year, coordinated the Oct. 13 event.  Exton Nissan was also on hand.

According to Lincoln Overholtzer, of Exton Nissan, Nissan has been partnering with Habitat for Humanity for years and has donated 100 vehicles to the organization and given it more than $1 million. Additionally, more than 5,000 Nissan employees have volunteered their time to Habitat.