Anyone 18+ is welcome to apply for our program. South County Habitat for Humanity is an equal opportunity, fair housing provider, with broad definitions for family.

The criteria for determining eligibility for a Habitat home are: 1) Need for housing, 2) Ability to pay an affordable mortgage, and 3) Willingness to partner with South County Habitat for Humanity.

Review information under the "Qualification" section to learn more.

The monthly mortgage payment cannot exceed 30% of your monthly income. Further, we use Federal income guidelines to determine financial eligibility. Your total household income must be at or below 80% of the HUD median income for the town where the home is located. This amount varies based on the number of people in your household. SCHH considers all sources of legitimate and verifiable income (employment, child support, Social Security, etc.) in determining your ability to pay the mortgage. Determining financial eligibility is a complex process.

For more information please review the "Qualification" section.

Monthly mortgage payments vary but will not exceed 30% of your monthly income. Mortgage payments include a principal payment, tax and insurance escrows, a ground lease fee, and a maintenance escrow fee.

Other fees may be collected that are specific to the property.

We only accept application during open application rounds. We open applications once we have a project fully funded and 'shovel ready' (meaning the project is fully permitted and ready to go). Application rounds are typically open for a 30-day window. Incomplete applications or applications received outside of the application round will not be considered.

To be notified of application rounds or any homeownership opportunities be sure you are on our notification list by completing our interest form found here.

South County Habitat for Humanity is a faith-based organization, however, applicants do not need to be of a particular, or any, religious’ affiliation. We are an equal opportunity, fair housing provider and do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, family status, disability, ethnicity, religion, or any other basis protected by state or Federal law in its selection process.

You will receive written notification of the status of your application within 30-days of submitting a complete application. Applications go through a rigorous review process including a financial review, credit check, third party verification, and finally Board approval.

This can be a lengthy process but we will update you along the way.

We do our best to keep you informed of where you application is in the process, however, you are always welcome to call or email us to check on the status if you are unsure. You may contact Aliyya DeMartino, Homeowner Services Coordinator, at 401.213.6711 x305 or aliyya@southcountyhabitat.org.

Yes! Many of our families have been denied for a multitude of reasons (too little income, items in collections, poor credit, etc.) that they were able to rectify, then came back to apply later on and were accepted into our program. You can apply to as many application rounds as you would like, however, you may only apply once per round.

Homeowner Advocates are SCHH volunteers who partner with future homebuyers on their journey to homeownership, serving as a liaison between the partner family and SCHH.

Sweat equity refers to the non-monetary investment future homebuyers contribute to the construction of their home or other SCHH projects. All hours must be complete prior to closing on the home.

South County Habitat for Humanity's construction staff and skilled volunteers will teach you everything you need to know for a safe, productive, educational, and fun day on site.

Although timelines may vary, recent homebuyers have completed the program in about 12 months.

A rehab is an existing home that was initially sold by South County Habitat for Humanity (SCHH) and then purchased back at a later date. SCHH will renovate the home and prepare for a new family.

Typically, rehab homes only require minor repairs and updating before a family can move in, once they have satisfied their program requirements.

While completing sweat equity, future homebuyers may work on any SCHH construction site. While you may be assigned to work on other families' homes, future homebuyers are encouraged to work on their own homes as much as possible until sweat equity requirement is completed.

Accommodations will be made for those with limited mobility

SCHH operates under a ground lease model, which means you will purchase the home while SCHH retains ownership of the land. This model ensures that the home remains affordable indefinitely. The ground lease agreement, which is signed at closing, clearly outlines the rights and responsibilities of both the homeowner and SCHH.

Lot sizes vary greatly depending on each individual property. In order to ensure long term affordability, South County Habitat for Humanity retains ownership of the land, through a ground lease agreement. With this agreement, you have most of the typical rights and responsibilities of homeownership – such as privacy and enjoyment of the home and yard, caring for the property and paying property taxes.

SCHH homeowners are welcome to make the home their own, cosmetic updates such as painting, planting gardens, etc. However, due to the ground lease agreement*, any major modifications to the home require written permission from SCHH (and any applicable permits).

*See “What is a Ground Lease?” to learn more about the ground lease agreement.

Per the ground lease agreement, if you choose to sell your home, SCHH must first be offered the option to purchase it. If SCHH elects to purchase the home, it will be bought for the amount of principal paid. The home will then be renovated and resold to another income-qualified family. If SCHH does not choose to purchase the home, you will be required to sell it to another income-qualified buyer.

If you would like more information about this process, please contact us.

As an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, South County Habitat for Humanity is a private, non-profit organization that relies on donations from individuals, churches and businesses to fund home building projects. Habitat also receives financial support in the form of Federal, state and local grants as well as private and public foundations. The ReStore is also a major fundraising source.

ReStore is a non-profit home improvement store and donation center that sells new and gently used furniture, building materials, appliances and home accessories to the public at a fraction of the retail price. ​With help from local donors, shoppers and volunteers, proceeds from ReStore cover 100% of South County Habitat for Humanity's overhead expenses, allowing every dollar donated to go directly towards building affordable homes.

Learn more about the ReStore by visiting our ReStore page here.