Faq


ANY QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions!!

  • Habitat for Humanity International is the parent organization and Perry County Indiana Habitat for Humanity is a local affiliate. International oversees the many local affiliates across the globe, advocates at the international/national level, maintains the Habitat brand, and implements international aid and disaster relief. Here at Perry County Indiana Habitat for Humanity, we build local homes with local people using local resources. We are fairly autonomous from Habitat International, although both organizations share the same vision, mission and values.

  • We receive limited financial resources from Habitat International. That is by design. Habitat International provides educational resources, secures large gifts-in-kind, and maintains the Habitat brand. When we build a home locally, we must raise 100% of the money it costs to build the home.

  • We have various revenue streams. The most important being financial donations from generous individuals, businesses, foundations and organizations. Sometimes through monthly gifts, annual gifts, sponsorships, etc. We also receive monthly payments from the mortgages we hold. In addition, we often apply for grants from various sources.

    It also needs to be pointed out that we receive generous discounts on material, labor and services from friendly contractors and vendors. While that’s not technically funding, it greatly reduces our costs.

  • That depends on what you wish your money to be used for. We work locally, they work internationally. If you want to help support a local home build, please make the gift to us. If you want to support international aid or disaster relief, please make the gift to Habitat International.

  • No we do not. The closest ReStore is in Dubois County. https://www.duboishabitat.org/restore

  • Generally, no. On occasion we will accept very gently used building materials if we are able to utilize them quickly. We don’t have a lot of space to store building materials that aren’t being used immediately. We will accept tools that are safe and in good working order.


  • Yes. Habitat for Humanity has always been a Christian organization, and we believe in putting God’s love into action through our homeownership program. However we do not proselytize. We work and partner with people from various faith backgrounds.

  • No, you do not! Since its inception, Habitat has pledged to help anyone, regardless of faith, achieve the dream of homeownership. We are also an Equal Opportunity Lender.

  • No. Individuals living by themselves or households of any size are welcome to apply. Habitat sometimes uses “family” terminology when referring to our homeowners. But having a family is not a requirement.

  • At the time of application and acceptance into the program, our Habitat Homeowners must fall within 30% – 80% of Area Median Income which is adjusted by size of household. The current Area Median Income statistics are included in our application packet. Please ask for one if you are interested. There is no penalty for a homeowner if their income increases or decreases after they purchase the home. However, mortgage payments must be kept current.

  • There is no “black and white” answer on this. While we have credit history guidelines, we tend to look at “the bigger” picture, instead of just a credit score. Often we are able to advise applicants as to what actions to take regarding credit which will allow them to apply again in the future.

  • Absolutely not! We believe in giving a hand up, not a handout. Each homeowner purchases their home and takes on an affordable mortgage with Habitat. The price of the home is set at the appraisal value. Our homeowners are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of their home. They are also required to pay property taxes and homeowners insurance just as any other home owner would. It’s important to note that the low to 0% interest loan is a HUGE financial blessing to the partner family. It often results in well over $100,000.00 in savings that would normally be spent on interest. This also makes the monthly payment smaller and more manageable.

  • That depends on a variety of items. We build homes to fit the family’s needs. Some houses are bigger or smaller than others, which affects the price. The price is set at the fair market value which is set by a third party appraiser. As the housing market fluctuates, so does the price of the homes. But when a house is sold, the price is locked in, as is the 0% interest rate.

  • Our partner families must apply and go through a family selection process. The Family Selection Team makes recommendation to the board of directors for their official approval. Each application is assessed on four criteria: 1) ability to afford homeownership 2) need for housing 3) willingness to partner 4) current resident of Perry County. We check their financial situation and conduct a home visit as part of the application.

    After approval, each adult in the family must attend financial literacy classes, participate in homeowner education training, contribute 200 hours of sweat equity, provide a down payment, purchase homeowners’ insurance, pay for closing costs and more! It is important to us for each partner family to put some skin into the game and be prepared for the responsibility of homeownership.

  • To date our homes have been constructed in Tell City and Cannelton. But we are open and interested in building in other areas of our county. If we have the land, utilities, family and funding, we will build there!


  • Some Habitat affiliates do, but we do not. However, we have completely rehabbed older homes and brought them back to life.

Still have questions?

Feel free to ask a Question, we will happy to answer your queries


”Habitat for Humanity works closely with all sectors — community, public, private and civic — to create a tangible difference in the lives of families through adequate, affordable housing.”

QUESTIONS / ANSWERS

Benefits & what we do ?

  • Habitat for Humanity builds affordable, durable homes that comply with the national building codes in the countries that we operate. In the use of appropriate construction technologies, we leverage and promote locally available materials, sound traditional practices and academic research for a homeowner-driven approach to decent housing. We also train local builders and masons in the use of appropriate technologies. Innovative techniques often lead to cost savings and less impact on the environment. In the Asia-Pacific region, we build homes with a variety of technologies and materials such as bamboo, compressed stabilized earth blocks, interlocking blocks and prefabricated concrete panels.

  • Every disaster is an opportunity to build stronger, more resilient homes and communities. We adopt the “Pathways to Permanence” approach to help families build back safe and find lasting solutions to their housing needs. We provide both immediate assistance that includes kits to clean up homes, for emergency shelter and personal hygiene, and recovery and reconstruction solutions through damage assessment, technical support, training, transitional shelter construction, home repairs and more. It is just as important to help communities prepare for the next time a disaster strikes. Through the PASSA training, that takes a participatory approach to safe shelter awareness, Habitat for Humanity and its partners including governments empower those who are vulnerable to hazards to create a stronger, more resilient community.

  • Many families in countries where Habitat for Humanity operates are unable to obtain bank loans, financial services or afford housing by private developers due to the informal nature of their work. These households build their homes in stages as their families grow and as their limited finances allow. Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter was established in 2016 to help housing markets better meet the needs of low-income households. As it mobilizes investment capital for the housing sector, the Terwilliger Center works with market actors and companies to expand or innovate housing products, services and financing and shares knowledge on affordable housing.

  • Habitat for Humanity has adopted a comprehensive and collaborative approach to address the complex challenges of urban development. Through engaging with the public, private and community sectors, we provide methodology and training to increase resilience, build community water and sanitation infrastructure, and develop scalable slum upgrading approaches, among others. We also promote inclusive housing and urban policies and advocate for increasing access to land for housing through Solid Ground, Habitat’s global advocacy campaign. In India, Habitat successfully petitioned the local government for secure tenure for the vulnerable Irula tribal families, through the provision of land titles.

  • Understanding that adequate housing requires safe and reliable access to water and sanitation, Habitat for Humanity targets them as core components of its housing quality standards. We tailor our WASH solutions based on need, local context and the most appropriate and affordable options for both families and communities. In the Asia-Pacific region, our WASH initiatives include partnering with other organizations in the Sensitise to Sanitise coalition in India to increase access to clean water and safe sanitation as well as promote behavioral change; building community-managed water stations in Cambodia that support the local economy; and promoting menstrual hygiene in Bangladesh’s schools to remove stigma and improve school attendance for girls.