If You Have Questions, We Have Answers!
Below is a list of some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have other questions that aren’t answered here, feel free to contact us for more details!
What is Habitat for Humanity International?
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian Housing Ministry.
We seek to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. To accomplish these goals, we invite people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need. Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller, along with his wife, Linda. Today, Habitat has helped build over 400,000 decent, affordable houses and served more than 2 million people around the world.
How Does Habitat for Humanity Work?
Through Volunteer Labor and Donations of Money and Materials.
Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses alongside our homeowner (partner) families. Not all affiliates rehabilitate homes so please call your local affiliate for information. Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat equity) into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.
Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.
How are Partner Families Selected?
By Applying to their Local Habitat Affiliate.
Families in need of decent shelter apply to local Habitat affiliates. The Family Services Director and Family Services Committee selects homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the loan. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families who receive Habitat houses.
What are Habitat Affiliates?
An affiliate is a community level Habitat for Humanity office that act in partnership with and on behalf of Habitat for Humanity International.
Each affiliate is an independently run, nonprofit organization. Each affiliate coordinates all aspects of Habitat home building in its local area—fundraising; building site selection; partner family selection and support; house construction; and mortgage servicing.
Where Does Habitat for Humanity Operate?
Habitat is a worldwide organization, operating in all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and dozens of other countries.
Use our search engine to find local affiliates and connect with Habitat in your community.
Our operational headquarters are located in Americus, Georgia, USA. Our administrative headquarters are located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
How are Donations Distributed and Used?
Donations, whether to a local Habitat affiliate or to Habitat for Humanity International, are used as designated by the donor.
Gifts received by HFHI that are designated to a specific affiliate or building project are forwarded to that affiliate or project. Undesignated gifts are used where most needed and for administrative expenses.
HFHI’s most recent audited financial statement is available online.
Who Controls and Manages Habitat for Humanity International?
An ecumenical, international board of directors determines policy and oversees and guides the mission of Habitat for Humanity International.
Board members are dedicated volunteers who are deeply concerned about the problems of poverty housing around the world. The HFHI headquarters office operates with an administrative staff, assisted by a core group of professional and support employees and supplemented by volunteers. Each local Habitat affiliate is managed by its own local volunteer board.
How Does Habitat Work with the Government?
Our Government Relations and Advocacy team works with legislators and housing regulators to increase support for affordable homeownership and eliminate poverty housing.
We monitor public policies related to housing, community and international development. We advocate policy choices to increase access to decent, affordable housing for people around the world. We accept government funds for infrastructure, utilities, capacity building or training and house building. We accept these funds so long as they have no conditions that would violate Habitat’s principles or limit its ability to proclaim its Christian identity.
How does a Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Get Started?
Habitat affiliates start when concerned citizens of diverse backgrounds come together to address the problem of poverty housing in their community.
These volunteers research the community’s affordable housing needs and resources and evaluate the potential success of Habitat’s self-help model in their community. The group then applies to HFHI to become an official Habitat affiliate.
If you are interested in eliminating poverty housing in your community, please call 1-800-422-4828. Those calling from outside the United States may contact HFHI headquarters at 1-229-924-6935.
What is Sweat Equity?
Sweat equity is the single most important strategy Habitat uses to empower future homeowner families (partner families) and one of the features that sets us apart from other affordable housing providers.
Habitat uses the term “sweat equity” to refer to the hours of labor our homeowners dedicate to building their homes and the homes of their neighbors, as well as the time they spend investing in their own self-improvement. Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County partner families begin their sweat equity after being accepted into the program, and they must complete a minimum of 350 hours before they can move into their homes.
Sweat equity reduces the amount of paid labor needed for a house, which in turn helps reduce cost. Additionally, time spent building their own homes instills a sense of pride and ownership, teaching the basic building and house-maintenance skills that are necessary for home ownership.
Most importantly, by going beyond a mere financial investment in their property and performing sweat equity alongside other volunteers and neighbors, Habitat homeowners gain a greater sense of self-worth and become more personally invested in their community.
Are Habitat Homes Free?
No.
All Habitat for Humanity homeowners pay a small amount of closing costs when they have completed the program and all Habitat for Humanity homeowners will pay a monthly mortgage loan payment until the home is paid in full, usually after 20 to 30 years depending on the financing you are eligible for.
Why are they Not Free?
I thought Habitat Homes were built with donated money, materials, and volunteer labor…
Some land is donated, some land Habitat for Humanity must buy. A few materials are donated to every home build; the rest Habitat for Humanity must buy. Some labor is volunteered; but some things only licensed & insured professional contractors such as electricians, plumbers, heating & cooling installers, and roofers must do.
Cash donations and grants help pay for some of the costs, and selling the donations of gently used items at our ReStore helps pay for the rest. Habitat for Humanity could not exist without the generosity of our donors & volunteers.
Our homeowners also play an important part in building more homes: as each new homeowner pays back the cost of building their home, they provide more money to Habitat for Humanity so that we can build more homes.
Are Habitat Homes available for Rent?
No.
Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County does not rent homes.
Does Habitat for Humanity Provide Emergency Housing or Shelter?
No.
We recommend you contact your local Red Cross or United Way for emergency housing.
