Who can qualify for Habitat Housing?

Within each Habitat for Humanity affiliate is a Family Selection Committee that is charged with finding, assessing and counselling a family to assist them. Families are chosen on a non-discriminatory basis and must qualify on a number of issues. 1. *Need:* If the current dwelling is inadequate or nonexistent and the family is unable to qualify for a bank loan or mortgage. 2. *Ability to pay:* A Habitat homeowner must have a sufficient source of income to cover paying the cost price of the house, with enough income left over for the family's other needs. 3. *Work:* The successful applicants must be willing to invest 500 hours of their own labour sweat equity into building their own or other Habitat homes. 4. *Character:* The successful applicant must be conscientious, reliable and dedicated to the principles of Habitat for Humanity. The local Habitat affiliate establishes an ongoing partnership with each family selected and provides training in budgeting, home maintenance, and other areas involved with the responsibilities of home ownership. Habitat's *No Interest Mortgage* includes provisions to prevent a family using the Habitat house for speculative purposes. Habitat for Humanity Australia (HFHA) houses are affordable for low-income families because the houses are sold to them at less than market value and no interest is charged on the mortgage. The length of a HFHA mortgage in Australia is 15 to 20 years, depending on the amount of the mortgage and the weekly repayments. The repayments commence at 25% of the household income and are increased by 3% p.a. subject to the ceiling of 25% of income. The term of the loan is then a calculation based on the price of the house and the repayments at commencement. Families interested in applying to own a HFHA house should contact their local HFHA affiliate. A Family Selection and Nurture Committee chooses homeowners on the basis of need, willingness to become partners in the HFHA program and their ability to repay the loan. Every HFHA affiliate follows a policy of non-discrimination in their family selection process.