Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.  Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.

Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.5 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. HFHI was founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller along with his wife, Linda, on the belief that every man, woman and child should have a simple, decent, affordable place to live in dignity and safety.

To learn about Millard and Linda Fuller, and the evolution of the organization that is now known as Habitat for Humanity, click here.

As President of the United States, Jimmy Carter was deeply committed to social justice and basic human rights. He and his wife Rosalynn left the White House in search of meaningful ways to contribute in these areas. In addition to promoting peace and human rights through the nonprofit Carter Center in Atlanta, they lead the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity International one week each year.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter's involvement with Habitat for Humanity International began in 1984 when the former president led a work group to New York City to help renovate a six-story building with 19 families in need of decent, affordable shelter. That experience planted the seed, and the Carter Work Project has been an internationally recognized event of HFHI ever since.

Each year, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter give a week of their time - along with their construction skills - to build homes and raise awareness of the critical need for affordable housing. The Carter Work Project is held at a different location each year, and attracts volunteers from around the world.

To learn more about the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, click here.

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the community. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable, non-interest bearing loans. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.

Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor - Sweat Equity - working in our ReStore operation or for other non-profit organizations in the community.

Habitat is a worldwide, grassroots movement. Habitat has a presence in more than 90 countries, including all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. See our Habitat Affiliates Worldwide section for information on each country in which Habitat is at work, including progress reports, project descriptions and affordable housing needs.

Families wanting to partner with Habitat for Humanity Niagara to buy a home undergo a rigorous screening process, including credit and personal reference checks.

Families must also meet the following criteria:

·         they must be currently living in substandard housing.

·         they must be willing to volunteer 500 hours of Sweat Equity in the community.

·         they must have a steady reliable income and are able to repay a zero-down payment, interest-free mortgage.

·         they must be a legal resident of Canada.

·         they must have satisfactory credit history.

·         they must have discharged a previous bankruptcy for at least 2 years.

·         they must have an annual income within the Statistics Canada Low Income Cut-Off guidelines.

To view the detailed Family Partner Selection criteria, click here. 

LICO stands for Low Income Cut-Off and is Statistics Canada’s definition of low income. Habitat for Humanity uses these guidelines to qualify potential Partner Families.

As of June 1, 2010

Habitat does not charge interest on its mortgages, nor does it profit from them. The average length of a Habitat mortgage is 25 years and payments are geared to income.  Mortgage payments from Habitat homeowners go directly into a trust to build more Habitat homes. The Habitat model empowers families to help families.

Habitat Niagara receives support from and works in partnership with faith groups, corporations, foundations, individual donors, and the ReStore. The organization does not receive funding from the United Way (although gifts can be designated to Habitat for Humanity Niagara through the United Way).

Currently, we build 3-bedroom bungalows and semi-detached homes.  The typical square footage of a Habitat for Humanity Niagara home is 1100 square feet.

Habitat homes are appraised at fair market value.  Currently, a three-bedroom Habitat home in Niagara is approximately $180,000. Prices will differ slightly depending on location and the costs of land, labour and materials.

Habitat homes are affordable for low-income families because there is no profit included in the sale price, and no interest is charged on the mortgage.

The income of all Habitat homeowners is reviewed on an annual basis. If income increases, monthly mortgage payments are adjusted to remain at 25% of their monthly income. If income decreases, usually due to a temporary situation such as a job loss, similar adjustments may be made to maintain affordability during this temporary period of decreased cash flow.

Habitat for Humanity Niagara is committed to educating and supporting partner families toward successful homeownership. This commitment has resulted in a low mortgage default rate of less than 1% in Canada.

The Habitat mortgage is designed to keep monthly payments low, encourage long-term commitment, and prevent short-term profit.  Habitat for Humanity Niagara has the first right to purchase the property if the homeowner wants to sell.

Sweat Equity is volunteer work done by the Partner Family as a requirement of the partnership with Habitat for Humanity Niagara.  It refers to the actual hands-on involvement of partner homeowners in the promotion of the work of Habitat in the community, working in the Habitat office or the Habitat ReStore.  Volunteer hours worked in other charitable organizations in the community is also considered.  It is also a condition of the sale of the house agreed to between Habitat for Humanity and partner homeowners.  Sweat Equity will never be considered as a downpayment and has no cash value.  Family members and personal friends can also contribute Sweat Equity hours for a partner family. 

Once a family has been approved as a qualified family by the Board of Directors, the family members may begin to contribute their Sweat Equity requirements.

Each family must complete a total of 500 hours of volunteer work prior to moving into their home. 

A family must repay the mortgage to Habitat in its entirety. In effect, Habitat is the "bank". Like a bank, Habitat expects regular monthly payments. A family who falls behind in mortgage payments could lose their house.

Typically families contribute 25% of their gross household income towards the interest-free mortgage and this mortgage. The mortgage will contain a right of first refusal that will allow HFHN to repurchase the house in the event that the homeowner decides to sell it in the future.

Once all payments have been made under the mortgage to HFHN, the family will own the house free and clear.

In addition to Habitat mortgage payments, as a homeowner you will be responsible for paying all utilities (gas, electricity, water, telephone and cable, etc.) and insurance on the house.  Homeowners are also responsible for performing proper maintenance on the house and surrounding property while being a good neighbour in their community.

We have many opportunities to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Niagara.  See the Volunteer section of this website, contact us at volunteer@habitatniagara.ca or write or phone us:

Habitat for Humanity Niagara

150 Bunting Road

St. Catharines, Ontario

L2P 3G5

T: 905 685 7395

For additional information, see the other sections of this website, or write or phone us:

Habitat for Humanity Niagara

150 Bunting Road

St. Catharines, Ontario

L2P 3G5

habitat@habitatniagara.ca

T: 905 685 7395