Habitat for Humanity of Springfield

Description

Habitat for Humanity of Springfield believes that every person in Greene County deserves a safe, decent, affordable home. Toward that vision, Habitat Springfield builds and renovates homes in partnership with families in need. We work with funding, materials, and services donated by individuals and community partners in order to build homes in Greene County. The family buys the home for the cost of materials and services, with a no-profit, no-interest loan. We also operate a ReStore that sells donated new and used building materials and home improvement supplies to the general public; Habitat Springfield thus makes home improvements affordable for more people, recycles usable building materials, and uses the revenue generated by the ReStore to build more homes.

Families are selected on the basis of three criteria: need, ability to pay the less expensive mortgage, and willingness to partner with Habitat. The families selected are currently in housing that is substandard, too expensive, and/or overcrowded, and are at an income level (30-60% of the area's median income) that makes them ineligible for a standard mortgage. They do need to have enough income, however, to pay the lower-cost Habitat mortgage. And the family needs to meet the requirements of the program, including attending Habitat homeowner education classes, and completing 250-350 hours of "sweat equity" in the ReStore, on the construction site, and at outreach events.

We will build or renovate nine homes in 2014. We need your help in many ways - Habitat works because YOU do!