Affordable Housing

At Habitat, we are interested in breaking the cycle of poverty, not just providing a home.  Check out this research showing a great variety of opportunity around the country.  Unfortunately, our area shows very low income mobility opportunities due to a variety of factors.

I attended Habitat for Humanity’s annual legislative advocacy conference in Washington,  D.C. earlier this week.  Habitat has long held that our building houses alone will not get us anywhere close to eliminating substandard housing from the world, but that our building of homes plus a strong advocacy voice will be what it takes.

In Proverbs 31:8-9 we hear our call to advocacy:

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

We have three criteria that all of our home-buyers must meet to be accepted into the Habitat program.  They are: 1) need for housing  2)  ability to pay  and 3)  willingness to partner.  These have long been a part of our Habitat’s successful selection criteria helping us insure that  a Habitat house will indeed be a blessing and not a burden.

"If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together."  Chinese proverb

A key theme at Habitat on the Hill is the creative, albeit, sometimes unlikely partnerships that are developing due to reduced funding. This tightening of the belt is being faced at all levels -- from governmental agencies to nonprofits to the individual families served by Habitat affiliates across the country.  While the economic environment is challenging at best, there is a silver lining.