Apply for a Home

Interested families must attend a Family Selection meeting to begin the Habitat application process. Presenters will outline our home purchasing program and its eligibility requirements. Attendance is necessary to obtain a Habitat for Humanity of La Plata County housing application.

If you would like to learn more about homeownership, call us @ (970) 382-2215 or complete the online interest form and we will contact you before our next meeting.

Family Selection Criteria
In selecting Habitat Homeowners, Habitat for Humanity of La Plata County considers the following three criteria:

1) Need for adequate shelter
The first consideration for selecting a partner family is the lack of adequate shelter. We look for families who are living in shelters that are too crowded, structurally deteriorated, have inadequate plumbing or wiring, etc. We also recognize that the need may also consist of factors beyond obvious structural inadequacies such as the family being cost burdened (more than 30% of their income is spent on housing). We determine the condition of the shelter by visiting the current home of the prospective homeowner.

2) Ability to pay for the Habitat home
Since the homeowner purchases the home from Habitat, they must be able to afford the monthly payments. Habitat looks for families who are unable to meet the income requirements for any conventional loan program, but who can afford a Habitat home. A families income must fall between 30% and 60% of the area median income. The income guidelines for 2009 are listed below and guidelines for 2010 will be listed as they become available.

Year 2010 Guidelines
Family Size	30% Median	60% Median
One	$14,150	$28,320
Two	$16,200	$32,400
Three	$18,200	$36,420
Four	$20,200	$40,440
Five	$21,850	$43,680
Six	$23,450	$46,920
Seven	$25,050	$50,160
Eight	$26,700	$53,400

3) Willingness to Partner
An applicants willingness to participate as a partner with Habitat is crucial. This is achieved by completing and returning the application for housing in a timely manner, satisfying down payment and closing cost requirements, acceptance and completion of sweat equity requirements (350 hours for a single parent, 500 hours for a couple), making timely home payments, maintaining the home, and an enthusiastic support of the goals and mission of Habitat for Humanity of La Plata County.

If the Habitat homeownership program does not seem right for you, please view our "Links" page for a list of additional housing agencies.

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or sources of income.