BATON ROUGE - In a city with an increasing blight problem, non-profits like Habitat for Humanity, are doing their part by purchasing blighted properties and flipping them into new homes.

"It's the great American dream to own a home and that's true no matter what your income level is," said Lynn Clark, executive director of Habitat for Humanity.

The non-profit recently spent more than $100,000 to buy 15 blighted properties.

Creating family friendly environments is the ultimate goal.

"What we found when we bring volunteers to come in and build in a neighborhood, the neighbors feel energized," Clark said. "And they start working on their homes and we start seeing improvements in that community"

Most homes are built within a three-month span. The average price for a three-bedroom, one-bath house ranges around $70,000.

People interested in applying should contact their local Habitat for Humanity office.