Shelter is a basic human need -- and a universal one! We at Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County (HFHMC) believe everyone should have a safe, decent, affordable place to live, whether halfway around the world or right here in southeastern PA. That's what our homeownership program is all about! HFHMC builds and renovates simple, affordable houses, then empowers qualified, hardworking, low-income individuals and families to buy these houses by also providing no-interest mortgages with which to purchase them.
Our homeownership program is restricted to low-income (as defined by HUD) households that could not otherwise save for down-payments and settlement costs and/or secure mortgages of their own through more traditional means. Yet Habitat is not a hand out; it is a hand up! Habitat families work hard for their homes! Not only must they invest 200-400 hours of “sweat equity” helping build their homes, they must also buy their homes from HFHMC via no-interest loans HFHMC provides, then make affordable, monthly mortgage payments back to us over the course of twenty to thirty years.
We prioritize our applicants based on need AND "first come, first served." For more information on qualifying for a Habitat home and specific terms of our homeownership program, please see "Qualifying for a Home."
You can help us spread the word about our program, and break some of the common misunderstandings about homeownership through Habitat:
We don’t give houses away! Our families pay a mortgage for their homes. That means families who qualify for our program have stable income. Plus a thorough and detailed financial screening is part of the process -- in fact, our organization collects the same information that mortgage companies use to qualify applicants for traditional mortgages -- and candidates need to prove not only that they are capable of affording our monthly mortgage payment, but also that they are responsible enough to do so.
We do not "give" families homes in exchange for physically working on houses. Yes, Habitat homeowners DO physically work on the houses they eventually purchase, but such volunteer labor is just one part of a comprehensive homeownership agreement each family reaches with Habitat when partnering to first build, then buy, a home from us; and those hours do not replace the mortgage or the responsibility to pay for it.
We do not provide "crisis" or other short-term housing.
If you are interested in learning more about other homeownership opportunities in Montgomery County, please visit http://www.genesishousing.org/
Due to the nature of Habitat’s program requirements, we cannot help families in emergency situations. Here are other housing organizations that may also be able to help:
SHELTERS and TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMS
American Red Cross:
215-299-4000
Bridge of Hope Buxmont – Lansdale
215-361-1815
(Rental assistance on a decreasing scale for single-parent homeless families.)
CADCOM (Montgomery County Community Action Development Comm.)
610-277-6363
(Emergency and transitional housing.)
Community Housing Services - Lansdale
215-362-5250
(Case management of at-risk households, homelessness prevention, information and referral. Traditional housing for domestic violence survivors and homeless men.)
Hedwig House:
610-279-4400
(Transitional housing.)
Interfaith Hospitality Network of the Main Line
610-277-0977
(Shelter for single women or families.)
Interfaith Housing Alliance
215-628-2334
(Shelter for families and transitional housing.)
Indian Valley Housing Corporation
215-723-8750
(Shelter for families and transitional housing.)
Laurel House
215-643-3150
(Shelter for female victims of domestic violence and their children and transitional housing.)
Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard - Ambler
215-628-3002
(Temporary housing.)
Missionaries of Charity
610-278-9089
(Shelter.)
One Night at a Time
610-292-9244
(Shelter for adults.)
Open Line - Pennsburg
215-679-4112
(Emergency housing.)
Salvation Army of Norristown
610-275-9225
(Shelter for families and transitional housing.)
Salvation Army of Pottstown
610-327-0836
(Shelter for families and transitional housing.)
Sisters of Charity
610-272-8248
Shelter for women or women with young children.)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Montgomery County Housing Authority
104 West Main St., Suite 1
Norristown, PA 19401-4716
610-275-5720
610-935-1935
(Subsidized housing.)
Montgomery County Office of Aging and Adult Services
Human Services Center
1430 DeKalb Street
Norristown, PA 19401-0311
610-278-3609
(Subsidized housing and resources for seniors.)
Montgomery County Personal Navigator Program
VNA Community Services
Norristown Health Center
1430 DeKalb Street
Norristown, PA 19401-0311
1-800-591-8234
(Service connecting people to appropriate resources for their specific needs, including utilities, food and housing assistance.)
CLARIFI
1608 Walnut Street, 10th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-563-5665
(Free credit counseling.)
Money Management International (MMI)
265 West High Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
800-308-2227. ext.6530
866-515-2227
(Free credit counseling.)
