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Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity
International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry
dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide
and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience
and action. Habitat invites people from all faiths and walks of
life to work together in partnership, building houses with families
in need. Habitat has built some 70,000 houses around the world,
providing more than 300,000 people with safe, decent, affordable
shelter.
Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations
of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple,
decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families.
Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed
with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage
payments are recycled into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is
used to build more houses.
Currently, a three-bedroom
Habitat house in the United States costs the homeowner an average
of $38,000*. Prices will differ slightly depending on location
and the costs of land, professional labor and materials. In developing
nations, a Habitat house costs $500-$5,000, depending on design,
materials and location. Habitat houses are affordable for low-income
families because there is no profit included in the sale price
and no interest charged on the mortgage. The average length of
a Habitat mortgage in the United States is 20 years. Internationally,
mortgage length varies from 7 to 30 years.
(*Our Otsego County, NY homes are averaging $75,000 to $85,000, and
we've extended our mortgage option to 25 years. Updated 5/2010)
Homeowners invest hundreds
of hours of their own labor - "sweat equity" - into building their
Habitat house and the houses of others. Sweat equity reduces the
monetary cost of the house, increases the personal stake of the
family members in their house, and fosters the development of partnerships
with other people in the community. The amount and type of sweat
equity required of each partner family vary from affiliate to affiliate--300
to 500 hours per family is common.
Whether in the
U.S. or overseas, families in need apply to local Habitat affiliates.
The affiliate's family selection committee considers applicants'
level of need, their willingness to become partners in the Habitat
program and their ability to repay the no-interest loan. Every affiliate
follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither
race nor religion is a factor in choosing Habitat homeowner families.
If your family, or a family you know, is in need
of decent, affordable housing, contact the Otsego County Habitat
for Humanity at the numbers below or contact the Habitat International
help line at (912)924-6935, ext. 2551 or 2552.
There are now more than 1,300 active affiliates
located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. There also
are more than 250 international affiliates coordinating some 800
building projects in 59 other countries around the world.
Habitat is a grass-roots movement. Concerned citizens
from all walks of life come together as volunteers to form a Habitat
affiliate in their community. Fundraising, house construction, family
selection and other key decisions are carried out by the local affiliates.
HFHI headquarters, located in Americus, Ga., provides information,
training, support and other services to Habitat affiliates worldwide.
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Donations, whether to a local Habitat affiliate
or to HFHI headquarters, are used as designated by the donor. Gifts
received by HFHI headquarters that are designated to a specific
affiliate or building project are forwarded to that affiliate or
project. Any undesignated gifts are used where most needed. HFHI's
most recent audited financial statement is available upon request.
Due to the extreme poverty found in many developing
nations, Habitat affiliates in developing countries often receive
funds for house building from HFHI. All Habitat affiliates are asked
to "tithe" -- to give 10% of their unrestricted cash contributions
to fund house building work in developing nations. However, international
affiliates raise as much of their funding as possible locally.
An ecumenical, international board of directors
determines policy and monitors operations in conjunction with a
board of advisors. Board members are dedicated volunteers who are
deeply concerned about the problems of poverty housing around the
world. HFHI headquarters operates with an administrative staff,
assisted by a core group of clerical and support employees and supplemented
by long-term and short-term volunteers. Each Habitat for Humanity
affiliate is managed by a local volunteer board.
Habitat does not accept government funds for the
construction of new houses or for the renovation or repair of existing
houses. Habitat does accept government funds for the acquisition
of land or houses in need of rehabilitation. Habitat also accepts
government funds for "stage-setting" infrastructure needs (streets,
sewers, etc.) so long as the funds have no strings attached that
would violate Habitat's principles or limit its ability to proclaim
its Christian witness.
For additional information, see the other sections
of this website, contact Otsego HFH or write or phone our international
headquarters:
Habitat for Humanity of Otsego County
PO Box 34, Oneonta, NY 13820
(607) 432-7874
Habitat for Humanity International
121 Habitat Street
Americus, GA 31709-3498
(912) 924-6935
or Email
us!
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