Family Selection Committee

Alachua Habitat for Humanity is a Christian housing ministry financed through private donations. Our purpose is to build homes in partnership with families in need of adequate shelter and to sell the houses at no profit and no interest.

Some general guidelines to become a Habitat homeowner/partner are as follows.

Residency:
You must be living in Alachua County and have lived here for the past 12 months or longer.

Need for Adequate Shelter:
Current shelter is in serious disrepair, has an inadequate number of bedrooms as determined by number, ages and gender of household members or current neighborhood is unsuitable, unsafe or unsanitary.

Ability to Pay for a Habitat Home:
The family must have a minimum household gross income of $1,600 per month for up to four people. The minimum increases after four people. The income may come from employment, SS, SSI, child support or any combination. The family must have the ability to make monthly house payments along with their current debts and monthly expenses. Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Inc. recommends that no more than 25-30% of a family's total income should be spent on housing.

The family must have a satisfactory credit history and references. A family selected for a Habitat home will need a total of $750 at closing to pay the $500 down payment and $250 toward the first year's insurance and taxes. In addition, the family may need to save around $400 for utility, telephone and cable hookups.

Willingness to Partner with Habitat:
The family must complete 400 hours of "sweat equity" before closing; 200 hours to be completed prior to lot selection and house plan approval. The family must participate in Habitat's nurturing program that includes financial counseling and household management education. The family must be committed to maintaining their home in good condition. In addition, Alachua Habitat for Humanity policy dictates that after occupancy homeowners must participate in the Homeowner's Association if there is one so they can continue to be a part of Habitat.

If you do not fill out the application completely and/or provide all documents requested your application will be delayed until these items are completed. If you have any questions, please call the Habitat office at 378-4663.

Habitat does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, age, gender, familial status, national origin or disability.

Chairperson: Charmaine Gibson

The Family Selection Committee meets the first Monday of the month (excluding holidays). This committee is responsible for completing a financial review of each Habitat for Humanity (HFH) application package to determine income and debt ratios that fall within accepted HFH home ownership criteria. It is important to note that this review can only be accomplished if the applicant submits a complete package that includes all of the requested/required documents.

Committee members also complete home visits to determine an applicant's "need for adequate housing" for those applications that make it through the financial review. The final step in the committee's process is the recommendation of an applicant to become a HFH homeowner partner to the Executive Board.