Qualifications

Basic guidelines for eligible families:

1.  Significant need for adequate shelter and affordable housing, which may include one or more of the following:

• Overcrowding - less than 170 square feet of space per person
  
  
• High rent - 40% or more of gross family income is spent on housing costs
  
  
• Problems with the building - structural defects, water damage, pests, mold, insulation, wiring, lead, asbestos, unsafe neighborhood, lack of egress and storage, need for handicap accessibility
  
  
• Number of bedrooms inadequate - dependent on age, number and gender of persons in household
  
  
• Issues with Landlord - inadequate landlord maintenance
  
  
• General family housing situations - leasing, tenants at will, renting with subsidy, eviction likely, living with friends or parents, family split up due to lack of housing, homelessness

2.  The ability to pay:

• Gross annual income of roughly $30,000 to $50,000, depending on family size (*the income criteria varies for each of our homes - this is an estimate only)
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to make monthly mortgage payments in a timely manner

3.  Willingness to partner with Habitat for Humanity:

• Each family member over the age of 18 who will be living in the house is required to contribute 250 "sweat equity" hours toward the completion of the home.  The total requirement for the family will not exceed 500 hours.  These hours can be accumulated by working alongside volunteers on construction, landscaping, site clean up, fundraising, and many other tasks.  No construction skills are necessary.  Most construction work takes place on Saturdays.