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• Habitat for Humanity's ‘Weekend Build' kicks off
• Wanted: Future homeowners
• Blitz Build to wrap up with home dedications
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• Stepping up to help out
• Senior makes most of opportunity
• Students team up to build Habitat house

Wanted: Future homeowners

by Michelle Swartz, July 02. 2006 9:54AM

link to this article @ www.MonroeNews.com

The Kanaley family, Amanda, 8; Hope; Emily, 12, and Joshua, 6, wait to begin the dedication ceremony June 25 for their new Orchard East home. The house was built in 10 days during Habitat for Humanity's "Blitz Build."
A single mother of three children, Hope Kanaley wanted to get her family out of the apartment they had lived in for several years.

"It wasn't safe. I wouldn't even let them play outside unless I was there," she recalled.

Her dream of owning a home became a reality thanks to the efforts of Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County. She was one of three families that received homes last month during Habitat's Blitz Build.

"The kids love it. They have their own bedrooms," she said of her children, Emily, 12; Amanda, 8, and Joshua, 6. "Now we have a yard they can play in."

An affiliate of Habitat International, the local chapter is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing ministry. It was incorporated in 1995, and the local Habitat built its first home the following year. To this date, Habitat has built 29 houses for local families. the end of this summer, it will have built a total of 31.

Choosing families is a lengthy process. Habitat works year-round to select families and prepare them for the responsibilities of homeownership. According to Executive Director Debora Wykes, a group called the Family Selection Committee begins the process by screening applicants a year before the actual construction of the homes.

"Community members make up the committee," said Ms. Wykes, who is not on the eight-member committee. "They are teachers, a minister, a nun, a person who works with finances … it's quite a variety. We regularly add people to the committee as well."

Once Habitat gets applications, the committee reviews each one. Four main areas are considered when choosing families: need, ability to pay, willingness to partner with Habitat and how long a family has been a resident of Monroe County.

An interview process also is conducted, followed by a final vote by Habitat's board of directors.

"It's understated that Habitat ministers to families. We find families a suitable home. We first find the families, then we prepare them for the responsibilities of being a homeowner," she said.

Need is based on a family's current housing status, debt and total annual family income. A family of four, for example, must have a gross annual income between $20,950 and $45,500. Applications must prove an ability to pay since families are actually buying a home from Habitat. The committee looks at all sources of income to determine if applicants are capable of owning a home.

"We check how their money comes in and we check their credit report. Most of the applicants have full-time jobs, so we also check their employers," Ms. Wykes explained.

Habitat reviews all sources of income to determine if a family can afford monthly payments as a homeowner. Habitat writes the mortgage and collects payments from the homeowner with a 0 percentage interest mortgage over 20 to 30 years. The homeowner must make a $500 down payment before moving in and is responsible for maintenance and repairs of the house once the mortgage is signed.

"Families don't get a free house. This is not a handout. They are buying a house, signing a mortgage and have a deed on the house. The owner pays city taxes and home insurance," Ms. Wykes said. "Families are responsible for paying, and that money allows us to buy other Habitat houses in the future. That's why family selection is so important."

Many people don't understand that Habitat helps families become homeowners and doesn't offer a free house.

"When I was selected, a lot of people told me I was lucky to get a free house," Ms. Kanaley said. "But that's not what Habitat does. Families have to pay or they're out. Habitat makes that very clear."

Other requirements include the willingness to partner with Habitat. If selected, any person 18 and older from the chosen family must complete 250 sweat equity hours. Credit hours include time spent working on the construction of the house and taking classes in preparation of being a homeowner.

The final area of consideration is how long an applicant has lived in the county. A person who applies must have been a resident of the county for a 12-month period.

"We follow Equal Housing Lender rules. We do not discriminate in any way. It doesn't matter how old you are, your religion, race or if you are handicapped," Ms. Wykes added.

Ms. Kanaley, who works as a part-time nurse and attends school on a full-time basis, didn't think she would be eligible for a Habitat home.

"I thought I made too much money but I fit in their income range," she said. "During the interview, they explained to me what would be involved if I was chosen. They were very honest with me. Since I'm so busy with work and school, they didn't know if I could complete the 250 community service hours."

After reassuring Habitat she would complete the necessary hours, Ms. Kanaley was selected. She earned her sweat equity hours by attending homeowners education classes, volunteering at the Habitat ReStore and helping volunteers build her house during the Blitz Build.

Averaging about 65 applications a year, Habitat will review each case and narrow it down to several families. Ms. Wykes will then go over the families' paperwork, then the committee interviews potential candidates.

Afterward, a verbal report is given to the local chapter's board of directors. The 16-member board makes the final decision based on the family selection committee's findings. Community volunteers, with three-year terms, make up the board of directors.

"We work with families who were close to being accepted but didn't make the cut. We give them some ideas on what they can do and encourage them to reapply," Ms. Wykes said. "The bulk of rejections are families who don't earn enough money to make house payments."

Ms. Kanaley was pleased with the overall process of family selection.

"They are very thorough. There is a lot of paper work and they follow through on everything," she said of Habitat volunteers. "They are amazing people. I am overwhelmed by how many people offered to help us so we can make this work."