Applying for a home
Fulton County Habitat for Humanity, Inc. is planning to build a home! We are currently accepting applications from interested and qualified families for the project. If you are interested, please continue reading about what is required, download, print and fill-out application, answering all the questions, and mail to us at PO Box 843, Rochester, Indiana, 46975.
Fulton County Habitat for Humanity, Inc. is a local affiliate of a national and international organization which builds and rehabiliates homes for those who lack decent housing. Volunteers donate labor, materials and money as a Christian ministry. Because labor is donated, the cost of constructing and rehabilitating homes is kept low. In order to keep the homes affordable to those most in need, no, or low interest is charged. Mortgages are usually for twenty years. The monthly payment on the mortgage, taxes and home insurance is between $250 and $400 a month for a twenty or thirty year mortgage.
Families selected for home ownership are required to invest 250 hours per adult family member of "Sweat equity" either on their home, other Habitat homes or other approved activitieis. Families that are approved become Partner Families and join the ministry of Habitat.
There are 3 primary criteria for selection of Habitat Partner Families:
1. Need
2. Ability to make regular monthly payments
3. Willingness to partner with FCHFH and invest 250 hours per adult family member of sweat equity in the home construction or other approved activities.
Families qualify under need if their present home is too small for the size and makeup of the family, or if it is structurally inadequate. Applicants' income qualifications are based on recent annual HUD income guidelines for residents of Fulton County, Indiana.
Habitat Income Guidelines:
1. No more than 25% of monthly income is required to pay mortgage, taxes and insurance.
2. No more than 36% of monthly income is required to pay ALL debts (including mortgage payment).
In addition, Habitat looks for families who need only one significant "break" in order to take charge of their lives and be able to build some financial security and comfort for their families. We want families who care about and will maintain their homes, contribute to their neighborhoods, and continue working with Habitat to improve housing in their area. Some families have desperate need, but are not able to take on home ownership. Habitat can only work with families who are ready for responsible home ownership.
Habitat's Family Selection Committee, composed of both Habitat board members and Community Volunteers, reviews the completed applications and eliminates any applicants clearly not eligible under the provided criteria. The remaining applications are further reviewed and an interview may be scheduled only after the appropriate forms and documentation are fully completed and returned.
The Family Selection Committee then chooses eligible families and sends its recommendations to the Board of Directors, which will then choose the Partner Family. The Family Selection Committee will notify all applicants regarding the outcome of their applications.
Notice: The Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits creditors from discriminating against credit applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age (provided that the applicant has the capacity to enter into a binding contract); because all or part of the applicant's income derives from public assistance program, or because the applicant has in good faith excercised any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act. The federal agency that administers compliance with this law concerning this creditor is the Federal Trade Commission, Equal Credit Opportunity, Washington, D.C. 20580.
Notice: The Indiana Laws against discrimination require that all creditors make credit equally available to all credit worthy customers, and that credit reporting agencies maintain separate credit histories on each individual upon request. The Indiana Civil Rights Commission administers compliance with this law.