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How to Get Habitat for Humanity Houses

How to Get Habitat for Humanity Houses

Interested in Habitat for Humanity houses? This amazing program has been helping low income families obtain safe, affordable housing for years… and we are thrilled to be able to show you how to qualify and obtain your own Habitat home.

Interested in other low income home buying options? Click here!

What is Habitat for Humanity?

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit organization that focuses on creating safe, affordable housing for people worldwide.

You can find Habitat for Humanity houses in 1,400 United States communities. There are Habitat homes in all 50 US states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

How does Habitat for Humanity work?

This program isn’t like the other low income home buyer programs we’ve written about. Habitat for Humanity is completely unique in their approach to low income home ownership.

If your application is accepted, you will work closely with Habitat for Humanity. You will even invest “sweat equity” in your new home by helping construct your new home or other Habitat for Humanity houses in your area, volunteering at a Habitat ReStore or by taking classes.

Sometimes, Habitat will even allow children to contribute to the required “sweat equity” by earning good grades in school! The Jackson County Florida Habitat office awards one hour of sweat equity for every “A” grade a child earns.

Sweat equity helps offset the down payment and keep your initial costs low. According to David Rubel, author of If I Had A Hammer: Building Homes and Hope with Habitat for Humanity, “Habitat affiliates require only a small down payment because few low-income families can afford more than that. Instead, partner families are required to contribute sweat equity. The phrase sweat equity refers to an ownership interest created by the sweat of a person’s labor.”

Some people falsely believe that Habitat homes are free. This is not the case. In addition to your sweat equity, you must be able and willing to pay an affordable mortgage. Your mortgage payments are used to construct additional Habitat for Humanity houses.

Who qualifies for Habitat for Humanity houses?

Habitat for Humanity follows a strict nondiscriminatory policy when selecting homebuyers. Race and religion are not considered as factors. Anyone can apply to be a Habitat homeowner!

You need to be patient and committed to receive a Habitat house. Be prepared for a long road toward your home ownership because this is not a quick process.

You will also need to meet the following criteria, as listed on the Habitat website:

You must be in need of better housing. If you are dealing with poorly built, unhealthy, damaged or too-expensive housing, you’re an ideal candidate for a Habitat home. If you are disabled and living in an inaccessible home, you may also qualify.

You must be willing to invest sweat equity. Hundreds of hours of sweat equity are required of Habitat home buyers. Your hours may be spent building your own home or someone else’s. You may be volunteering in a Habitat ReStore or taking classes. Regardless, you have to be willing to commit to the required amount of hours.

You must be willing to pay an affordable mortgage. Habitat focuses on providing affordable housing to low income families. You must agree to pay an affordable monthly payment, which will then be used to build more Habitat homes.

How do I get a Habit house?

First, you will need to find your local Habitat for Humanity office and complete an application.

You will also be expected to participate in some financial education classes, even before your home is being constructed. You will learn about budgeting, credit repair, checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, loans, estate planning and much more. These classes often feature guest speakers from local banks and financial institutions. The financial education program is a part of the sweat equity that is required to purchase a Habitat home.

You will also spend hundreds of hours working on your home or the homes of others. You’ll partner with other volunteers and Habitat homeowners during this process. You may also be able to count other activities, such as volunteering in the Habitat ReStore, toward your required sweat equity.

Looking for more low income housing options?

Nicole is the owner and lead researcher for Low Income Relief. She has over 20 years of professional research and writing experience, and she has been solely dedicated to investigating low income topics for the last 10 years. Nicole started Low Income Relief after a personal experience with poverty. When her husband was medically discharged from the US Army, their family experienced tremendous financial hardship. Nicole was able to gather help from multiple community agencies and move into a nearby low income housing unit in just two weeks! Since then, Nicole has been dedicated to helping low income families in crisis. She regularly spends hundreds of hours combing through countless resources to make sure that Low Income Relief has the most comprehensive and complete resource directories on the internet today. Prior to starting Low Income Relief, Nicole worked as a novelist, journalist, ghostwriter and content creator. Her work has been featured in various print and online publications, including USA Today, The Daily Herald, The Chronicle and more. Her work has also been featured by Google for Publishers and other leading industry publications.

Britany Allen

Sunday 11th of December 2022

Hey I'm a single parent going through hard times right now and I'm trying to find somewhere for me and my kids to stay we live with my mom and step father but the house is falling in and we don't have heat or air and my middle is in college right now but I'm to pay money every month to help with school I had to let my car go back bc I don't have the money to do both and I'm a traveling med tech/cna but sense my car went back I'm not able to work bc I don't know what to do now and I really need to find somewhere safe for me and my kids and one of my son is disabled and my son that is in college we didn't get approved for school loan or nothing they denied him and me for Sally may program and by me doing this every month I'm not able to get my kids nothing for Christmas bc I can't work with no car but he is the first child on my mom and his dad side to go to college bc the pick him to play football for that school and I want him to drop out but I don't know what to bc me my kids need somewhere to stay and I heard about habitat for humanity if any one out there could help or lead me in the right direction what to or get help please can someone help get started bc I have put in application to find use somewhere to stay but nobody not taken application or some of them be like 1000 a month for rent if I do that I can pay for something that can be mines but really would love to do the habitat for humanity program if somebody can help me get started thank you if u get my comment

Catherine Marucci

Sunday 11th of December 2022

Hi Britany. To get started, first, you will need to find your local Habitat for Humanity office and complete an application.

Here are some other resources that may also be helpful: https://lowincomerelief.com/assistance-with-transportation/ https://lowincomerelief.com/low-income-housing-with-no-waiting-list/

Patricia Witherspoon

Thursday 17th of February 2022

Hi I'm in between places to live I need help with a home to have I'm 60yrs old I can paint I can help with roofing I've done alot of different things how can you help me I've been homeless before an I have heart condition and lung condition but I'm willing to do anything I can to have a place I can call my own the last time I was in between places was 3yrs ago out an I was robbed an raped an I don't want to be homeless I am a good person I need help please

Isaac

Friday 18th of February 2022

Low Income Relief is an information service and does not provide cash or items directly. You will need to search our website for information about organizations that can help you meet those needs. Chat with Lira, she might be able to help! https://lowincomerelief.com/chat/

Sha

Monday 29th of July 2019

How long is the process usually ?

Riley Thomson

Friday 2nd of August 2019

Sha, I'm not sure. It will definitely take some time. You may have to contact them directly for more information. -Riley

Floreen Nelson

Monday 22nd of July 2019

Im disable . Legal blind and dibetic my floors have rotted out and I need them fixed I have fell thru and hurt myself a few times being i cant see im scared to walk because I don't know where the weak spots are . I'm single and have nobody to help me. .I only have a small income and I have bills and med cost which leaves not much to make it on. How can I get floors repaired to be safe in my trailer house .

Riley Thomson

Tuesday 23rd of July 2019

Floreen, I'm so sorry to hear that you are going through a rough time. Here is some information we have for free home repair grants. I hope this helps. -Riley

Mary

Tuesday 21st of May 2019

I am interested in how to go about this program and what are the steps in doing so.thank you.

Deborah Johnson

Friday 15th of April 2022

@Riley Thomson,

My rent will be going up 235.00 a month when my lease run out. I need help getting into a home low income, buying a home. can you help me with info, thanks

Riley Thomson

Tuesday 21st of May 2019

Mary, Sure! The best way to get started is to find your local office and fill out an application. You can find this info in the How to Get a Habitat for Humanity House article under the section "How to get a Habit House?" Be sure to click on the links within the article for more information. I hope this helps. -Riley