Can We Help You? How to apply to become a Habitat partner family
Selection Criteria
A Family selection Committee composed of volunteers reviews applications, evaluates them on the basis of the requirements, and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Board makes the final family selections.
- Lack of adequate shelter determined by severe structural problems or the lack of proper plumbing or wiring; overcrowded circumstances; or in a crime-ridden environment that is unsafe.
- Financial status and ability to pay for a Habitat house. Families who cannot afford a conventional home loan but who can afford a Habitat home generally have incomes ranging from 25-50% of the median income for the area.
- Willingness to partner with Habitat. This participation includes completing 350 hours of "sweat equity" - work on homes of others, on the applicant's own home, or on other tasks suggested by the affiliate leadership; making a $500 down payment; attending family workshops and Habitat events.
- Permission for Habitat to run credit and reports; to check personal, employment, and housing references; and to make home visits.
- Preference is given to residents of area served by Habitat for Humanity Northwest Harris County (School districts of Tomball, Spring, Klein and Cy-Fair) and by the number of family members occupying the house.
- Typically, only families with steady employment or self-employed income qualify; However, disabled applicants with steady disability income may qualify for a home.
Application Process
Habitat is an Equal Opportunity organization, and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, national origin or familial status.
Follow these 5 steps to apply for a Habitat home:
- Attend one of the meetings held each February. Volunteers will be available to help complete the application at the meeting. It is ESSENTIAL to bring copies of documents to verify your income for the last three years. This might include tax returns; W2's; documents verifying disability, AFDC, WIC or Food Stamps or verification of child support. Please see below for all requirements of application.
- After your application is completed, it will be evaluated with all other applications received. This evaluation takes about 2 months. Applicants who meet the initial requirements will have a home visit by members of the Family Selection Committee. This process also takes about 2 months.
- Based on the evaluation, the Family Selection Committee recommends applicants to the Board of Directors, which is responsible for the final approval.
- Families selected then start work on their mandatory 350 sweat equity hours. Before construction begins on an individual family's home, they must have completed at least 100 hours of the sweat equity and paid $250, half the down payment.
- Families not initially accepted may reapply during future application periods should their circumstances change. All information included in the application is considered confidential and will be used only for family selection.
Please call us if you have any questions, or submit your contact information online at
Join Us.
In order to complete an application, the following information is needed:
- Driver's license
- Social Security ID
- Current monthly rent; name of landlord
- Current employer name, address and phone number
- Copies of W2's and tax returns
- Other Income : Source and amount per month
- Record of debt and amount of payments per month
- Personal references ( Names, addresses, and phone numbers of 2 non-family members)