Habitat sent out the invitation, and the community answered!
We opened our application window to our Homeownership Program during the last two weeks in January and more than 80 completed applications came in. This is up from our previous application window, which had a longer lead time, and makes it the largest number of applications we have ever received in one round.
Once chosen, the participants will work to become homeowners of one of two new townhouses in Silver Creek Village. (View the video about our construction update.)
Criteria for choosing participants into our Homeownership Program, aka future homeowners, include Habitat International's requirements:
- A demonstrated NEED for better housing.
- The ability to PAY an affordable mortgage.
- The willingness to PARTNER with Habitat.
In addition, the participant must have been employed full-time within Summit County for the past year (a Summit County requirement) and, for this application round, earn between 60 and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for their family's size.
Qualifying candidates will be reviewed by our six-member Homeowner Services Committee and the new future homeowners will be announced this spring.
All of our program participants must stay qualified throughout the tenure of the process, including employment within Summit County and qualifying financially. Once the homes are finished, each family will buy their home, holding a monthly mortgage payment that doesn't exceed 30 percent of their income.
About Habitat's Homes in Silver Creek Village
Silver Creek Village is a new community in the south-east corner of the I-80 and U.S. 40 intersection (off the "Home Depot exit"). Habitat is building 26 homes in this area. We have already completed two single-family homes, which have been sold and have families living in them!
Under construction right now are a 10-unit townhouse building and a 4-unit building. Each townhouse has either three or four bedrooms, a two-car garage and stands three stories tall. These are the first townhomes in our Habitat affiliate's history.
