Own Your Own Home

Contact us or call the office at 208-883-8502.  Palouse HFH typically opens it's application period for one month each year, about 8 months before the home build is scheduled to start.  If we are not taking applications at that time you call, staff can take your name, phone, email (if you have it), mailing address to contact you when the application period opens.  Staff are available to answer questions, and there will be an optional informational meeting to receive detailed information about our unique program, answer questions, and receive an application.  Keep checking this page for more information on the application process.

There are no requirements.  If interested, fill out and submit the application with all the required documentation before the deadline.  Palouse HFH will offer information and help sessions to answer questions and assist with completion of the application.

There are three main criteria to apply for a Habitat Home: ability to pay, need for housing, and willingness to partner with Habitat.  To qualify you must have lived or worked in Whitman or Latah County for at least the last year; be living in inadequate housing (problems with structure, electrical, or heating for example); and be willing to fulfill partnership obligations, including 300-400 hours of sweat equity helping to build your home.   Your income must fall within 30-60% of Area Median Income for Latah & Whitman Counties according to the Housing and Urban Development Administration (HUD).  The specific amounts change each year, and vary depending on family size. Contact the Habitat office or attend one of our informational meetings to find out the  income range.  As part of the application process, a selection committee member will review your credit history, conduct interviews and do a site visit of your current home. Sweat Equity – All Habitat homeowners  are required to spend  300-400 hours helping build their home.  The majority of those hours must be put in on the build site, but Habitat homeowners are also encouraged to  volunteer at the store, or elsewhere within Habitat or the community.  The volunteering can be done by those living in the home, as long as they are over age 16; a portion can be donated by friends, family, co-workers etc.  In cases of disability, Habitat will work with the homeowner to design volunteer opportunities tailored to their abilities.

No!  There is no application fee.

Past Habitat house payments have averaged $550/month.  Habitat requires that a future homeowner contribute $1000 towards closing costs, which can be saved in monthly payments during the home build.  Other closing costs will be included in the mortgage.

If you are interested, keep watching this page for more information.  Information on qualifications and the schedule for applicant meetings will be posted here.  You can call the office at 208-883-8502 or Contact Us and ask to be on the contact when the next search begins.  Please provide your full name, phone, email (if you have it), mailing address, and how you heard about becoming a Habitat homeowner search.