Homeownership Program

How Habitat Homeownership works

Habitat for Humanity provides a unique opportunity for working individuals and families to build and buy their own homes. Households that are accepted into our program are called partners. Partners work together with Habitat volunteers to build their own houses and those of their neighbors. No previous construction experience is necessary. We will work with you to accommodate schedules, special needs or disabilities.

Homeowners must also be able and willing to pay an affordable mortgage. Your mortgage, including mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, and homeowners association fees, if applicable, will not exceed 30% of your gross monthly income at the time of sale. Partners also participate in financial education and homeownership classes to help ensure long-term success.

Habitat homeowners must be active participants in building a better home and future for themselves and their families. Once selected, Habitat homeowners must partner with us throughout the process. This partnership includes performing “sweat equity,” or helping to build their own home or the homes of others in our homeownership program. Sweat equity can also include taking homeownership classes, helping at a Habitat repair site, helping during a Habitat community cleanup event, or performing volunteer work in a Habitat ReStore.

Habitat follows a nondiscriminatory policy of homebuyer selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor.

Habitat cannot determine program eligibility prior to the submission of a completed application (below). Please follow West Tuality Habitat on Facebook, as we share announcements about our homeownership program as well as resources that can help you prepare for homeownership (such as how to repair your credit).

How to qualify

Our program evaluates your application using three criteria: your need, your willingness to partner, and your ability to pay.

Here's how we evaluate the three criteria for all applicants:

Need is determined based on any of these factors, individually or in combination: financial need, lack of adequate housing, living in substandard conditions, and need for special accommodations, such as a need to accommodate mobility issues or other disabilities.

Willingness to partner: Habitat for Humanity uses a "hands up" model. You participate in your success. This can include things like working on your own home or that of your neighbors, taking financial education and money management classes, telling your story in a video or at an event, taking photos to include in our social media posts and on our web site, etc.

Ability to pay: Upon successful completion of our program, your home will be provided to you in an amount that is affordable to you. Your monthly payment, which includes mortgage, interest, property taxes, and homeowners insurance, will not exceed 30% of your income.

Qualifying Family Income Limits:

West Tuality Habitat cannot determine program eligibility prior to the submission of a completed application. ‍ ‍

Homebuying partners are in the program until their home has been built; generally, this takes 12 to 24 months, but delays are possible.

our service area

We are currently building homes in Forest Grove, Oregon. We also serve Cornelius, North Plains, Gaston, Gales Creek, Banks, Buxton, Timber, Cottage Grove and the surrounding areas in Western Washington County, Oregon. If you want to live in another area, you will need to contact the Habitat for Humanity affiliate office in that area.

West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is an equal opportunity provider. We are committed to the letter and spirit of American policy for equal housing opportunity across the country. We encourage and support an affirmative marketing and advertising program where there are no barriers to obtaining a home due to race, color, religion, gender, disability, familial status, or national origin. We also do not discriminate because all or part of the applicant's income is derived from public assistance programs.