2019 Case Statement Horizontal D2

2019
case statement

habitat for
humanity impact
Impact on families . . .
Since 1987, Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County has
mobilized over 29 thousand volunteers to provide housing
solutions for 635 families in St. Joseph County. Of those,
220 families have moved into new Habitat homes.
Impact on energy use . . .
Habitat installs energy efficient ranges, hot water heaters,
windows, and furnaces in our homes. We also install
insulation with R-values above what is required by code
and use roof venting systems that increase the heating
and cooling efficiency of the insulation and roofing
materials. All of our homes are 5+ Energy Star Certified,
the highest rating possible. Because of our energyefficient
standards, our families only pay $115-$120 per
month for utilities and save an average of $1,300 per
year on energy costs compared to homes without these
energy-efficient features.
29,000
volunteers
635
housing solutions
220
families in new homes
$1,300
average annual
energy savings per
Habitat household
Impact on neighborhoods . . .
Working with City Planners in South Bend and
Mishawaka, we expanded our house design portfolio
to include house designs that fit naturally into local
neighborhoods. Our houses frequently appraise for
$115,000 - $145,000 and add real value to the housing
stock in our community.
$115k — $145k
appraisal value of Habitat homes
every
hand
makes a difference
1 2

2018 numbers
In 2018, 6,511 hours of sweat equity were
completed by future homeowners.
Matthew 25 built its 27th home. Women build built
its 19th home and ND completed its 24th home.
$1.9 million
received in GIK donations
$2 million
raised from Grants
The mortgage payments on our homeowners’ 0%
interest loans are paid to Habitat and re-invested
into building more homes. By increasing the
number of homes built, we expect this revenue
source to increase. In 2018, we received $207,700
in mortgage payments.
Received nearly 1.9 million in GIK donations. Over
2 million raised from Grants. $562,292 in individual
donations.
$562,292
raised in individual donations
$207,700
received in mortgage payments
6,511 hours
of sweat equity completed by future homeowners
every
donation
helps a family help themselves
3 4

organizational summary
Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County
(HFHSJC) began in 1987 when a group
of volunteers assembled to renovate an
existing older home for a local family. Today,
HFHSJC is a highly successful and respected
community partner, teaming up with the
working poor of our community to provide
strength, stability and self-reliance through
shelter.
Habitat for Humanity is the only organization
in St. Joseph County offering 0% interest
mortgages to low income families helping
them achieve the dream of homeownership.
We are unique because no other affordable
housing organization in our area works
exclusively with families who make less than
80% of the Area Median Income.
Each applicant family goes through a
financial screening, a background check,
and a home visit to demonstrate need.
Applications are reviewed by the Board of
Directors. Once accepted into the program,
each partner family, under the supervision
of the Homeownership Program Director,
composes a monthly budget and payment
plan to repay all delinquent debt and to
demonstrate the ability to pay monthly
mortgage payments. Before a family can
purchase a home, they must complete all
requirements of their financial plan, and save
for closing costs.
Local volunteers and donations from area
businesses, foundations and individuals
combine to provide a unique experience
for participants on every new build. Each
applicant works with staff and volunteers to
fulfill the requirement of 250 hours of sweat
equity. “It’s a hand up, not a handout,” said
Jay and his wife Elizabeth, who closed on
their Habitat home in 2016. “That phrase, and
the action and attitude of this organization,
changed my family’s life forever.”
Thanks to our wide volunteer base and
sponsors who partner with us each build
season, Habitat continues to gain recognition
and give back to the community.
While we are best known for our
homeownership program, we are proud to
spearhead several other programs that serve
the community, including a Neighborhood
Revitalization program, Veteran Home Repair,
Homes of Hope - for victims of domestic
violence, Deconstruction and Salvage
Services, and Aging in Place – critical home
repair and home modifications for senior
citizens.
HFHSJC was recently given the honor of
2017-2018 Affiliate of Distinction. Twentyfive
affiliates were chosen out of the 1,350
affiliates in the United States. Each applicant
completes an extensive application covering
all aspects of the affiliate including affiliate
operations and board involvement. The
application is graded on best practice in all
areas designated by Habitat International.
The top five percent of scores are awarded
“Affiliate of Distinction”.
“It’s a hand up, not
a handout...that
phrase, and the
action and attitude
of this organization,
changed my
family’s life
forever.”
— Jay and Elizabeth, Habitat Homeowners
every
connection
creates the opportunity
to build a better life
5 6

every
parent
wants a better future
for their family
Constituents Served
Program Design/Activities
The constituency Habitat serves is composed of low-income
individuals and families who make 25-80% of the Area Median
Income for the county and would not qualify for a traditional mortgage.
We serve those that are considered rent overburdened or have
demonstrated a true need for safe, stable and affordable housing.
Goals, Expected Outcomes & Timelines
The goals and expected outcomes of the project are; homes built
on time and within budget, each family completes Homeownership
classes and sweat equity requirements and move into their home,
families pay their mortgage payments on time for the life of the loan,
families become stronger, more stable and more self-reliant.
The activities surrounding the 2019 Home is the Key Builds (Women
Build and Matthew 25 Church Build) are the same for every Habitat
home we build. The identified future homeowners will work alongside
volunteers to build their own home. Each family will work with Habitat
staff to meet the required 250 hours of sweat equity per applicant
before they can purchase their home. Families are required to attend
the Cornerstone Training Program to learn how to maintain their
financial stability and preserve the quality of their home.
The Matthew 25 Church Build has been partnering with Habitat for 25
years to raise funds and provide volunteers to complete an entire home
for a Habitat family. The Women Build has been active in St. Joseph
County for 20 years with the goal to fund and build a home primarily
using female volunteers. Each group aims to bring people together
from all walks of life to build stronger, safer communities.
7 8

every
brick
is a building block
programming
Habitat for Humanity provides
homeownership opportunities for hardworking,
low-income individuals and
families who otherwise would not have the
opportunity to own a home. Homeownership
has been shown to improve the quality of life
for individuals and families and help stabilize
the neighborhoods in which they reside. “A
Habitat home means a stable home for my
family, a place to make memories, a better
future,” says Denise, a Habitat homeowner.
Local families partner with Habitat and pay
an affordable, interest-free mortgage. One
in four renters pays more than half of their
gross income toward rent and utilities, but we
make sure that a family’s monthly mortgage
payment is less than one-third of their gross
monthly income, so they have additional
money to spend on food, medicine, and
saving. With a Habitat home, families are
able to achieve homeownership and make
forward-looking choices. We build safe and
stable homes for families and individuals
who earn less than 80% of the Area Median
Income, and in many cases, less than 60%.
There are three criteria for acceptance into
the Habitat Homeownership Program: ability
to pay, need for housing, and willingness to
partner. Each family must be able to afford a
Habitat mortgage, they must demonstrate a
need for affordable homeownership, and they
must be willing to complete the requirements
of the program. Qualified families will save
for closing costs on their home, resolve any
delinquent debt, and complete their “sweat
equity” requirement before moving into their
homes.
The Habitat Homeownership Program is
a hand up, not a hand out – a core value
exemplified in our Sweat Equity Program. A
future homeowner’s sweat equity includes
taking classes to prepare for homeownership,
working on Habitat build sites, volunteering
at our ReStores, and eventually, helping
build their very own home. Habitat future
homeowners earn the right to purchase their
home at zero-percent interest through their
250+ hours of sweat equity.
At Habitat, this is what unites us: through
shelter, we empower. Our shared vision is a
world where everyone has a decent place
to live. Because we’re all humans, and every
single one of us deserves the opportunity for
a better future.
6.2 Homeownership Program: Habitat
is a non-profit organization dedicated to
eliminating sub-standard housing. Since 1987,
Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County
has built over 220 affordable, quality homes
for hard-working families in our community.
Local families partner with Habitat and pay
an affordable, interest-free mortgage. We sell
our homes at Fair Market Value and make sure
that a family’s monthly mortgage payment
is less than a third of their gross monthly
income. Every time a family makes a mortgage
payment, those funds go back to Habitat to
help build more homes in our community.
There are three criteria for acceptance into
the Habitat Homeownership Program: ability
to pay, need for housing, and willingness to
partner. Each family must be able to afford a
Habitat mortgage, they must demonstrate a
need for affordable homeownership, and they
must be willing to complete the requirements
of the program. Qualified families will save
for closing costs on their home, resolve any
delinquent debt, and complete their “Sweat
Equity” requirement before moving into their
homes.
The Habitat Homeownership Program is
a hand up, not a hand out – a core value
exemplified in our Sweat Equity Program.
Sweat Equity includes taking classes to
prepare for homeownership, working on
Habitat build sites, volunteering at our
ReStores, and eventually, helping to build your
very own home. A single-adult household
must complete 250 hours, and a two-or-more
adult household must complete 500 hours of
Sweat Equity. Habitat Future Homeowners
earn the right to purchase their home at zeropercent
interest through Sweat Equity. In
2018, Future Homeowners put in 6,511 Sweat
Equity hours and 600 hours of combined
financial, home management, and home
building training.
Affordable homeownership helps build
strength, stability, and independence for local
families in need.
Nusrat waited 12 years for the opportunity to
have a better life in America,
“We are trying to find a place where my son
can grow up,” says Nusrat. “I cannot afford to
settle down on my own, so I’m trying to settle
down with Habitat’s help. A Habitat home is
very settling to me. It means solid ground, and
now I can think about something else other
than my living situation. If you are renting
and can’t afford your payments, you are not
settled at all, it’s not your own . . . I will own
something, and that is pride, strength, and
independence.”
“A Habitat home means security, peace of
mind, happiness, and independence,” said
Drew and Ana, Habitat homeowners. “There’s
something special about walking into your
own home and saying ‘this is mine, this is what
I worked hard for.’”
9 10

Impact of Adequate Housing (from HFHI 8-17-16)
Aging in Place
• Better, affordable living conditions lead to improved health,
stronger childhood development and the ability—and financial
flexibility—to make forward-looking choices
• Homeownership is a form of wealth accumulation through
equity and forced savings from mortgage repayment
• Good housing attracts economic investment and development
• Decent shelter contributes to thriving school systems,
community organizations, and civic activism
• Safe homes and neighborhoods help build social stability and
security.
Homebuyer Education
All homebuyer pre-purchase counseling and homeownership
classes, including home and financial management, construction,
and home maintenance, are done in-house by Habitat for Humanity
of St. Joseph County. We are aided by guest experts from local
agencies and organizations, such as 1st Source Bank, which teaches
the financial literacy portion of this training. By offering these classes,
Habitat prepares Future Homeowners for homeownership. All Future
Homeowners who moved into their homes in 2016 paid off all nonmedical
delinquent debt prior to closing on their homes. 100% of the
families that have gone through our Homebuyer Education Program
either agreed or strongly agreed that they will make positive changes in
their lives because of the training they received.
In 2000, an AARP study showed that nearly 90% of adults prefer to
remain in their own homes, instead of moving to a nursing facility/other
institutionalized setting. There are 270,434 people living in St. Joseph
County and 57,383 of them are 60 or older (21%). Over the next 10
years, the number is predicted to continue to rise. As the years wear on
their bodies and homes, maintaining the dream of homeownership can
become difficult for low-income senior citizens. Many cannot afford to
replace old windows or fix a leaky roof.
The goal of Habitat for Humanity’s Aging in Place program is to help
seniors in St. Joseph County live in their own home and community
safely, independently, and comfortably regardless of age, income,
or ability level. Habitat completes home repairs and adds in-home
accessibility features for the aging in St. Joseph County. In order for
individuals to qualify for a home repair, they must be at least 60 years of
age, be under 80% of the Area Median Income, and own and live in the
home scheduled for repair.
The Aging in Place program has been active for over two years. In that
time, we have raised nearly 1 million in funds to implement the program
and are on track to raise an additional 1.9 million over the next three
years. We have an experienced team in place to oversee the Aging in
Place program and plan to complete 582 projects for Individuals over
the age of 60.
every
one
needs a foundation to
build a future
11 12

everyone
needs a place to call home
402 E. South St.
South Bend, IN 46601
(574) 288-6967
www.hfhsjc.org