Selection Criteria for Homebuyer Families

Habitat is a housing ministry financed through private donations and building with volunteer labor.   Our purpose is to build homes with families and sell the houses at no profit and no interest to families who could not otherwise afford a home.

Although Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit program, families are still expected to pay their mortgages on time.   Becoming a Habitat family is a long-term commitment that requires adherence to several guidelines.

Habitat For Humanity of South Hampton Roads is committed to building strong, safe neighborhoods with the help of our Habitat Partner Families. Please read the following items to see if you have an interest in our program AND to see if you meet our general guidelines:

The Selection Criteria:

• Need for adequate shelter
• Ability to pay for a Habitat house
• Willingness to partner with Habitat For Humanity
• Must have lived in our service area of South Hampton Roads for at least one year (service areas include: Chesapeake, Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach).

Need for Adequate Shelter:

• Current shelter has an inadequate number of bedrooms, heating system problems, electrical problems, or building is not accessible for your needs (handicap needs), etc.
• Current neighborhood is unsuitable (unsanitary or unsafe).
• The applicant is unable to get a conventional or government assisted mortgage.
• Current housing payment exceeds 35% of gross income and is unaffordable.

Ability to pay for a Habitat Home:

• The applicant must have a steady monthly household income, sufficient to cover mortgage payment, insurance, taxes, and other living expenses.
• Applicant must have verifiable income.
• Applicant needs to have a satisfactory credit report:
• All judgments paid in full
• 2 years since discharge date on either borrower or spouse with bankruptcy
• 5 years since foreclosure or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure
• Income of all household members must be listed.
• Your total gross household yearly income must be between the following:

Willingness to Partner with Habitat For Humanity:

• Accepting the Sweat Equity requirements between 250-400 hours.
• It is our policy that criminal background checks be conducted on all adult members (18 years of age or older) of the applicant's household.
• An inquiry will be conducted through the Sexual Offender Database
• Planning/saving for the closing costs of $500 plus deposit money for utilities $250.
• Informing the office when financial or family matters change.
• Being patient and having a good attitude with everyone involved in the process.
• Being honest and fair with all parties involved in the process.

With your permission, we will verify employment and other income, verify checking and savings account balances, get a statement from your current and previous landlords, have a credit check done, ask for your credit references, and do a criminal background check.   We will also need the names of two people who know you and whom we can contact to provide statements about you.

 

Step 1: Open Application Time in March

• Once a year, Habitat SHR has an open application period.  During this time period, applications for homeownership will be available on-line and from the Habitat office.

Step 2:  Habitat calculates income and pulls credit report.

• Eligibility forms are reviewed for completeness and, only if complete, are processed.
• Eligibility form and documents are passed to Family Selection Committee for their review.
• If there is a need for housing and if the income and credit meets our requirements, the applicant is invited to attend a mandatory orientation meeting and to schedule an interview to complete a homebuyer application.
• If applicants do not meet Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads criteria and are not accepted into the program, they will receive a letter with a description of the reason.  If these issues can be resolved, we ask that the applicants do whatever is necessary and reapply for Habitat.

Step 3: Interview conducted at the Habitat office.

• Background check, employment history and rental history are verified.

Step 4: Family Selection Committee Home Visit.

• The Director of Family Services and a member of the Selection Committee will contact you to set up a time to visit your home and interview you and your family.
• After the visit, the committee members will report at the next meeting. The report will be based on your need for housing, ability to pay, and willingness to partner.
• If approved, applicant will receive approval letter. If denied, applicant will receive a letter stating the reason for denial.

Step 5: If Approved ...

• You will be required to attend home ownership training to learn and practice budgeting, home repair, and maintenance (20 hours).
• You will be required to work 250-400 hours of sweat equity in your volunteer time to help build the home of others selected Habitat Partner Families along with your own house.

The application Process takes from 3 to 6 months. From the date of orientation to the time of home closing, it generally takes about a year or more.

Habitat house payments, which include taxes, insurance, and a free standing statement, will cost approximately $575 - $650 a month.  The mortgage payments will be used by Habitat to build more houses with other people like you.  Therefore, it is important that payments are made on time.

Information on other home ownership programs can be found at the

                                           Virginia Housing and Development Administration site.

Please email any questions to our Family Selection Director by using our SECURE FORM or call 640-0590 extension 208.

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation.   We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familiar status, or national origin.