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You must meet Habitat’s 3 basic guidelines (Need, Ability to Pay, & Willingness to Partner) to be eligible to purchase a home from Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity:

NEED

• You do not have excessive credit card debt or multiple bills in collections.
• You do not have any outstanding judgments or liens.
• You have not discharged a bankruptcy in the last 24 months.

ABILITY TO PAY

• You do not have excessive credit card debt or multiple bills in collections.
• You do not have any outstanding judgments or liens.
• You have not discharged a bankruptcy in the last 24 months.
• You pay your rent on time.
• You have had stable income for the past year.
• Your income falls within the guidelines below.

INCOME GUIDELINES

WILLINGNESS TO PARTNER

• You are willing to be a partner with Habitat and put in 300-400 hours of “sweat equity” first working on other families’ homes, then building your own home.
• You are willing to attend money management classes and homeowner workshops.
• You are willing to live in the areas in which Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity is building.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE REQUIRED TO DO IF YOU WERE APPROVED?

• Work 300-400 hours of “Sweat Equity” – first help build other families’ homes, then help build your own home. • Attend budgeting classes and homeowner workshops.
• Pay down payment of $500.00. • Your debt MUST NOT INCREASE while in the program.
• Pay a monthly mortgage payment on time for 25-30 years.

All adults (and dependents 15 years & older) are also required to fulfill the commitment of sweat equity, the hands-on work of Habitat. 300 hours are required for a 1- adult family and 400 hours are required for a 2-adult family. 150 of those hours are to be completed by the family prior to an address being assigned. Then, a portion of the total hours required can be performed on site by extended family (15 years & older) and friends.

Habitat families may be families of one or of many. Through their commitment to partnership, the partner family supports Habitat's activities through 300-400 volunteer hours and agrees to continue that partnership through responsible payments and home maintenance. Families first work with the Family Selection Committee as applicants. Following acceptance families work with a member of the Family Support Committee through their first year of homeownership.

Note:  The Family Selection Committee will only accept applications from individuals who have attended an orientation.  Orientations will take place quarterly.  Please contact our office to learn the dates and times of upcoming orientation meetings.

Application Process
If you are interested in Habitat and if you believe you qualify for a home according to the above guidelines, we encourage you contact our office for an application or download the three following forms and return to us by fax or mail. The applicant selection process is impartial. Race, ethnic origin, color, religion, marital status, sex and age are not considered and therefore play no part in the decision.

If you would like to apply to become a Habitat homeowner, please download the homeowner application and send it to us today!

Required Application Forms
	Homeowner Application
	Request for Verification of Employment
	Request for Verification of Rental History.pdf
	Complete the application and return in person or by mail to the CVHH office. A $20 non-refundable application fee is required to process the application.

Send application materials to:
Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity
725 North Center Point Road
Hiawatha, IA 52233
Fax: (319) 363-9722

All information is considered confidential and is used only in the applicant selection process.

Your application will be forwarded to the Family Selection Committee for review. The initial assessment will involve a careful review of your income, current debt and credit history. We will verify employment and other income, verify checking and savings account balances, get statements from your current and previous landlords, obtain a credit report and will ask you for credit references.

Progress of review continues with contact from the Family Selection Committee to schedule a date for a visit in your current residence. Upon completion of the review process by the committee, an approved application is presented to the Board of Directors at their monthly meeting for their final review and confirmation. Once approved, a partner family is required to make a down payment of $500.00 prior to the closing date for the home.

This process can vary in length from a few months to several depending on the complexity of the application in question and the flow of communication between the applicant and the committee. We encourage you to be patient with this process, which will progress in as timely a manner as possible. If you have any questions please

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; because all or part of the applicant's income derives from any public assistance program; or because the applicant has exercised in good faith any right under the Consumer Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 30580

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, or sources of income.

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