A Habitat Home is a Hand Up - Not a Hand Out
How can I qualify for the Habitat program and receive a home?
Habitat homes are not free!
Each partner family selected must go through an application process that will ask you questions about your income, credit and debt history and current living conditions.
Habitat is not a quick and easy fix!
The Habitat partner family buys their home from Habitat for Humanity and pays back that cost over 20 years through a 0% mortgage. The family must also be able to afford the taxes,
insurance, utilities and up-keep of their home. Once the home is yours, you are responsible for the maintenance on the home.
Habitat for Humanity selects people who are trying to take care of their needs and be independent, but cannot afford simple, decent housing.
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you might qualify for the Habitat program:
- Is your family living in a home or apartment without basic working utilities and protection from the seasonal elements, such as a roof that doesn't leak, flooring, insulation, windows, running water, heat, electricity, etc.?
- Are you paying more than 30% of your monthly income on your housing costs?
- Are you living in what could be considered an overcrowded situation or, is there more than one family under the same roof?
In order to qualify, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident status (green card).
- Have lived and/or worked in Montcalm County for at least one year.
- Have a dependable source of income and that income must be within 30% to 60% of the median income for Montcalm County.
- Be willing to partner with Habitat by fulfilling a minimum of 250 sweat-equity hours per adult household member on the construction of your (or another) Habitat house. You must also be willing to attend the required budget and home ownership and maintenance classes.
If you would like more information about applying for a Habitat for Humanity home please contact us.