Frequently Asked Questions
How are families selected?
A family selection committee carefully evaluates each family's level of need, ability to make house payments of around $350 to $400 per month and willingness to become good partners. A family's income must be at or below 60% of the median family income for their county of residence. Most HFH partner families are well below that figure.
Who are we?
We are a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International; an ecumenical, Christian housing ministry that builds affordable homes for low-income families.
How does the partnership work?
Each adult member of a partner family is required to work a minimum of 200 hours on their own home and 75 hours on other projects of Habitat. New relationships and a sense of community are built in addition to homes when needy and affluent people work together for a common purpose. Another way Habitat works with partner families is to help them develop home ownership and financial management skills by providing new homeowner workshops.
How does the program work?
We use donations of labor, materials and money to build new homes or rehabilitate existing homes in partnership with needy families. Habitat sells the completed home to a partner family for about $60,000 and provides a 0% mortgage. Payments are amortized over 20 years.
What is our track record?
HFH has provided housing for over 50 families between 1988 and the end of 2003. We begin this year with hopes of constructing six additional homes during the 2004-2005 construction year. We’re extremely excited to be a part of the 2005 Jimmy Carter Work Project that will take place in June of 2005. Watch for upcoming details! With these goals in mind, six more families will enjoy safe, secure, affordable, permanent housing.
Does Habitat for Humanity have a high success rate?
The answer is undeniably yes.
Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with our partner families, and the communities we build in to form strong ties. Statistics show that safe housing can and does affect families in many positive ways including better attendance at work or school, better health and less doctor visits, less stress/high blood pressure, better esteem and confidence in both children and adults.
During the ongoing partnering it is stressed to our families that we are a "hand" up to a better life, but not a "hand out." Our program has several required classes that must be successfully completed. The classes are designed to teach and empower families to take control of their finances, home maintenance, and other important life challenges.
Because of the care, ministering, and education that goes into each home and family, most of the families we have partnered with over the last 15 years are still enjoying their Habitat homes. Approximately 10 families exercised their right to sell their homes back to Habitat for Humanity for various reasons, this allowed us to partner with new families and move them into the home, thus helping an additional family. Unfortunately just this year we were forced to foreclose on one home, after trying unsuccessfully to work through the families financial difficulties.
Compared to conventional mortgage companies, our statistics are overwhelmingly better. Habitat for Humanity worldwide has fewer foreclosures in general. We attribute this to our over all program of ministering to our families.
Who manages the projects?
Our local affiliate employs a full-time Executive Director and Family Services Manager and a part-time Construction Manager. Volunteers staff all other positions. Over 100 volunteers serve on the Board of Directors and committees. Several hundred additional volunteers are available to work in the office, on construction crews and on special events.
What happens if a partner family no longer wants to live in their home?
Sometimes partner families decided that they no longer want to live in their Habitat for Humanity home. They may have married, gotten better jobs, or decided to move.
In each mortgage it states that if a family wants to move out or sell their home, Habitat must be given first option to purchase it back. By purchasing homes back, we are good stewards our donor's time, talents, and treasures. The price we purchase a home back for usually equals the amount the family has paid us for the home, plus 2% per year.
We find that our first right of refusal option is a win-win for both our ministry and our partner families. We get to help another family into decent housing for very little cost, and our partner family got to live in a safe home and then got all their money back.
We are committed to helping as many families into safe housing as possible. We are always excited when a family decides their conditions and life has improved to the point they no longer need to live in a Habitat for Humanity home and we can buy it back. On average the cost of updating a home are minimal, and a new family with serious housing needs is accepted into our program.