Family Selection
...this is how you can obtain a Habitat for Humanity Home.
HOW DOES HABITAT WORK?
Habitat carries out its mission at the community level through independent, locally run groups called affiliates. Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the potential homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments enter a revolving Fund for Humanity to build more houses here in the county.
Habitat is not a give-away program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor - "sweat equity" - into building their Habitat house and the houses of others. Each adult member of the family must complete at least 250 hours.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
1. Contact Alexander County Habitat for Humanity at PO Box 565, Taylorsville, NC 28681 or by calling (828) 635-7889. If you fall within the income ranges and meet the other selection criteria (see page 4) then request an application.
2.
Fill out the application and return it to Habitat along with a) credit report, b) income verification (paycheck stubs, tax return, etc.). Please contact us if you need assistance in filling out the application.
3.
Habitat will verify the information on your application. We reserve the right to check your debt history, income history, residence history, and criminal history.
4.
The following documents are needed to apply: Social Security Card (can not say “For Employment Only” or “Not for Employment”), and a NC Driver’s License. The following may be used as a substitute document: I-151 Permanent Resident Card, N-560 or N-561 Certificate of U.S. Citizenship, N-550 or N-570 Certificate of Naturalization, or I-688 unexpired Temporary Resident Card.
5.
An applicant with a bankruptcy may apply two (2) years after the bankruptcy has been discharged and good credit has been re-established.
6.
Upon initial approval, you must begin completing your sweat equity hours; we require that you complete at least 250 hours before we will consider your family for a home. In addition to working on the home itself, you are required to attend budget counseling and home ownership classes. (Completing the hours does not guarantee your selection for the next house, see the following selection criteria).
7.
You must save $1000 for the down payment, which will be paid to Habitat at the time of closing on your home. Sending us deposits of $50 or more per month can create this (see Down Payment Policy for more information). If you do not receive a home, your money will be returned. This is a key component of our determination that you can make house payments.
STEPS TO BEING MATCHED WITH A HOME
1.
If you meet the income level and other standards, you become part of our “Pool of approved applicants.”
2.
When you complete your first 50 sweat equity hours (hours spent at home ownership classes are required in the beginning and count toward your first 50 hours) and have begun making deposits to form your down payment, you become “Eligible for a home.”
3.
As we begin to start a home, we select the family with the most hours unless there is an emergency need. This will become their home if they continue to meet our qualifications.
4.
When you are selected for a home you will continue to complete your sweat equity hours. Each adult is required to complete 250 hours, and these must be completed before you can purchase the home. If your sweat equity hours are not completed and/ or your down payment is not completed, and/or any debt problems have not been rectified, then we will not sell you the home.
5.
You will buy the home that you helped to build and will receive a mortgage for your home at a reduced price and with ZERO interest attached to the mortgage amount; your monthly payment will include insurance and annual property taxes (the exact amount will be determined at closing).
6.
We hope you will continue to work with us as a partner family and help build homes for other families and volunteer to help at fund-raisers, etc. It is our goal that the partnership extends beyond the construction phase and become a life-long friendship.
7.
Note: At any step of this process your application for a home may be disqualified if it is determined that you no longer meet our criteria. Some examples: you take on additional debt, no longer need a home, family size/structure changes, or if you do not meet the terms of a Habitat Partnership.
8.
Note: Since the number of homes that we build per year is limited, you may be on the waiting list for more than a year. Even after being paired with a home, it may take us a year to build the house, due to the use of volunteer labor and the weather.
Below you can find a link for both English and Spanish versions of the application. When completing this application please fill in all the information that you can. Along with the application you will need to turn in a copy of your photo i.d., one month of paystubs, your 2021 w2, your summary from filing your 2021 taxes, and a copy of your credit report.
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