Potential partner families must first attend an informational meeting to learn about habitat’s guidelines and policies and to get all questions answered to ensure this is indeed something they wish to pursue. Then, they must submit an application and go through an interview process with the Family Selection Team if they appear to meet the overall criteria to be a Partner Family. These criteria include income and expenses, a financial history, a need for housing, a willingness to partner with Habitat, and more.
Once selected as a Partner Family, each family member age 18 or older must complete at least 200 hours of Sweat Equity, which includes hours on their own future home as well as other community projects and home-owner and budgeting classes. Each family has one or two Family Advocates to help them through the selection and building processes.
The work that volunteers put into the home and the materials that are donated or purchased at a reduced cost help to lower the overall cost of the home, which the family purchases from Habitat. The family then assumes a no-interest loan and makes monthly mortgage payments averaging about $300 each month, for 20-30 years. These regular payments in turn allow others the opportunity to become future Habitat home owners.
Habitat is not a give-away or emergency program. This is an involved process where family members come together and work together on their home, gaining pride in themselves and in their community as they open the door to their brighter future.
