Apply for a Home

In order to qualify for a Habitat home, applicants must meet three criteria through an application and interview process. The three criteria are:

Need for Housing
Ability to Pay
Willingness to Partner

Need for Housing

You will be considered for a Habitat home if your present housing is not adequate, and if you are unable to obtain adequate housing through other conventional means. Lack of adequate housing may include problems with the present structure; water, electrical or sewage service systems; heating system, hazardous substances, or failure to meet city property maintenance standards. Also taken into consideration are the number, the ages and the sex of children compared to the number of bedrooms in your present home. You may also be considered if you pay more than 40% of your income to rent and utilities or if you are currently on section 8 housing. Applicants residing with family on a foreseeable basis, living in transitional housing facilities, or are homeless also demonstrate a need for housing.

Ability to Pay

You and your family will be considered if your annual total income is between 25-70% of the median income for Bloomington.

Year 2008 Guidelines
Family Size	25% Median Income	70% Median Income
One	$10,708	$29,983
Two	$12,250	$34,300
Three	$13,750	$38,500
Four	$15,292	$42,817
Five	$16,500	$46,200
Six	$17,750	$49,700
Seven	$18,958	$53,083
Eight	$20,167	$56,467

Since you will actually be buying your house from Habitat, you must demonstrate your ability to pay the monthly mortgage payment. This payment will include not only the mortgage payment, but the payment for real estate taxes and insurance. We will help you to determine if this payment will jeopardize your ability to meet all your other family financial obligations and expenses.

To be considered for a Habitat home, you must have at least one year of stable income coming into your household. We can include non-work related income such as food stamps, child support, TANF, Social Security, etc. as stable income if you can guarantee you will receive that income for the next three years.

All applicants will undergo a credit check, although we are not as strict as a bank might be. If there has been a bankruptcy in your past, it needs to be discharged for at least a year and you must demonstrate improved credit since then. If you have a court judgement resulting in a fine or settlement that is still unpaid, the judgement must be paid off in full. You must have a reasonable level of debt. Medical bills will not be counted against you.

Willingness to Participate as a Partner with Habitat

If selected, you become a "partner family". As a partner family each adult (18 years and over) will be responsible for 250 hours of sweat equity. This sweat equity may be accomplished in construction of your house and the houses of others and may include clearing the lot, painting, helping with construction, providing food for volunteers, working in the Habitat office and attending Homeownership Classes. Out of the 250 hours, 50 can be "donated" from family and friends by working alongside the partner family.

You will be responsible for maintenance and repairs of your house from the time you sign the mortgage. Homeowners are free to make any changes to the home as long as they meet all local ordinances.

Other Requirements:

You must be a resident in Monroe County or any of the immediately surrounding counties for one year.

All applicants must attend one Homeowner Information Meeting

All applicants must have a United States Government issued identification number (for example a Social Security number or taxpayer ID)
Homeowner Information Meetings are held in the First United Methodist Church in room #219. The church is located at 219 E. 4th Street in downtown Bloomington across the street from the Post Office. The meeting lasts about an hour and will go over details about the selection criteria, the application process, how Habitat homes are built, and how the mortgage is structured. Trained staff will be at each of the meetings to answer your questions.

The next Homeowner Information Meeting will be held Tuesday Sept. 9th at 6 p.m. Please call 331-4069 to confirm the date & time.. Please see the calendar for future meeting dates.

To request an application or if you have further questions, please contact our office at (812)331-4069 and ask for the Family Services Liaison. [ email ]