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| Applying for a Habitat Home |
| Homeowner families (called Habitat Partners) are chosen according to their need; their ability to repay the no-profit, no-interest mortgage; and their willingness to work in partnership with Habitat. The Augusta/CSRA affiliate will announce the next Pre-application process for new Partners. Please call the Habitat Business Office for additional information. |
The process of building your own home through Habitat for Humanity is a lengthy one, but is well worth the effort you will invest.
The first step in the process is to complete a pre-application form. These forms will only be available during a defined period. The next opening of the pre-application process will be decided by our Board of Directors. If you call our office in late summer, we may be able to give you a better time window, if not; we will publish public service announcements of the pre-application dates, or you can always call us again.
After screening the pre-application forms, qualified applicants will be invited to attend an applicant, meeting to begin the final selection process toward home ownership. You may either call our office at (706) 481-8681, or look for public service announcements for the exact dates.
The Family Selection Committee chooses homeowners based on housing need, ability to repay the loan, stability and willingness to partner with Habitat. We have a nondiscriminatory policy regarding family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in selecting the families that receive Habitat houses.
Using volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat builds homes with the help of future homeowners. Houses are sold to partner families at no profit, with no-interest mortgages. Mortgages are usually for 30 years. The principal paid on each mortgage is used to construct more Habitat homes.
Habitat is not a giveaway program, but a joint venture in which those who benefit from the housing ministry are involved in the work at various levels along with those who desire to contribute their resources to make decent housing a reality. Each homeowner family is required to invest hours of sweat-equity into the construction of their home or homes of other Habitat families. This reduces the monetary cost of the house, increases the personal involvement of family members in their home and fosters the development of positive relationships with other persons.
Habitat builds a simple, decent housing. The size of the home is tailored to the family's size and special needs.
Families are selected using the following criteria:
Willingness to Partner - The family's willingness to work with Habitat to build their home, partner with us in the interest-free mortgage, assist other families in the process of home ownership and attend Homeowner Classes.
Need - An initial evaluation of need based on the number of persons in the home and the size and payments indicated on the application. This may not be accurately assessable until the in-home interview.
Income - Ranges are updated annually based on Median Family Income Estimates from HUD. These ranges reflect families making between 25% and 50% of the 2009 Median Family Income Estimate for the CSRA of $55,500 for a family of four (this amount is greater with more family members and less with fewer family members). These figures will change when the 2010 Income Estimates are released. |
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