A nonprofit in Canton, Ohio, is making strides in addressing both building material waste and housing affordability. The Stock Pile, which diverts construction materials from landfills and resells them at discounted prices, works with major retailers like Lowe’s to offer low- and moderate-income families the opportunity to improve their homes.

Building material waste is a growing concern, often resulting from demolitions, damage during construction, or overestimating project needs. According to Laney King, a guest columnist for the Canton Repository, 75% of discarded materials still hold residual value and can be recycled. Brenda Mahan, a Stark County Regional Planning Commission employee, noticed this problem in 1988 and founded The Stock Pile to address the waste while helping homeowners in need.

Since 2008, The Stock Pile has diverted 3,736 tons of materials from landfills and sold them to 2,739 families. The nonprofit has traditionally relied on donations, but now, with support from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, it sources materials from home improvement stores. The Stock Pile partners with Lowe’s, which generates nearly a million tons of waste annually, collecting lightly damaged appliances, flooring, plumbing supplies, and more.

“We live in a throwaway society. Why are we like this? There’s still so much use left,” says Kasie Atkins, Project Coordinator at The Stock Pile.

By offering these materials at prices below half their original retail cost, The Stock Pile hopes to help mitigate housing disparities in the community. For many families, their home is their greatest asset, but the condition of the home often prevents them from using it for loans to finance repairs.

For Black homeowners in substandard neighborhoods, the situation is even worse. Richard Harper’s investigation into housing inequality in Stark County revealed that the Home Owners Loan Corporation, a New Deal agency, had assigned D ratings to predominantly Black neighborhoods, preventing residents from accessing home improvement loans.

“Because these injustices exist, we [The Stock Pile] need to exist,” says Atkins, noting how The Stock Pile has contributed to revitalizing neighborhoods, with residents sharing stories of being able to afford new home improvements, like patio furniture and front doors.