Own Your Home

Please fill out the Homeowner Application Interest Form if you are interested in applying during the next application cycle. If you complete the online Interest Form, you will receive a copy of the application once the next cycle starts. Otherwise, Contact us or call the office at 208-883-8502x4.

If we are not taking applications when you contact us or fill out the Application Interest Form, we will contact you when the application period opens. Please ask for our Homeowner Services Manager for any additional questions. Keep checking this page for more information on the application process.

A completed application form with all the supporting documents, including two most recent months of bank statements and pay slips, and two years of taxes. The form asks for a summary of all income and expenses, and a statement outlining need. If the application meets the initial requirements of need, ability to pay, and willingness to partner, Palouse Habitat will pull a credit report, run a background check, and interview landlords and employers.

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 either live or work currently in Whitman or Latah County; be living in inadequate housing (some examples: high rent, overcrowding, structural issues, high power bills); and be willing to fulfill partnership obligations, including working 200-400 hours of sweat equity helping to build your home.  The number of sweat equity hours required depends on the number of adults in your household.

Your income must fall within 30-80% 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. See the chart above for this year's numbers.

Palouse Habitat does not require specific credit scores or perfect credit history. However, we expect our homeowners to qualify for an affordable first mortgage with a lender, and we cannot build with individiduals or families who have filed bankrupty within the past three years, have over $2,000 in charge offs or would have over 43% in debt to income ratio with a Habitat home added to their expenses.

If your application meets the initial criteria, the Homeowner Services Manager will review your credit history, check references, and assess your debt to income ratio.

Examples of income Palouse Habitat will consider when determining if your income meets our range: income from annual or seasonal employment, disability, child support, food stamps and other government assistance. Employment must be reasonably expected to continue for two years. However, when determining debt to income ratio, any income dedicated to a specific purpose, such as food stamps, cannot be considered.

No, there is no application fee.  However, we do ask our homeowners to contribute a share of the closing costs.

Palouse Habitat homeowners buy the home for the market value determined by an independent appraisal. However, the monthly escrow payments are set based on 30% of the gross monthly pay of the homeowner at the time of closing.

Habitat requires that a future homeowner contribute $1000 towards closing costs, which can be saved in monthly payments during the home build.

See packet for more details.

All Habitat homeowners are required to spend 200-400 hours (depending on the number of adults in the household) helping build their home. This is instead of having to save a down payment, and it is in line with Habitat's "hand up, not a hand out" philosophy. Habitat homes are built with volunteer labor donated by community members. It is appropriate for the homeowner to work alongside those volunteers.

The majority of those hours must be put in on the build site, but Habitat homeowners are also encouraged to volunteer at the ReStore, or elsewhere within Habitat or the community. Volunteering can be completed 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.

Palouse Habitat will partner with homeowners to accommodate those with disabilities or physical limitations. In the past, we have worked with individuals with varying degrees of ability, and have found ways for them to complete their sweat equity hours.

If you are interested, please fill out a Homeowner Application Interest Form.

You can also watch this page and our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for more information.

If you need assistance with the form, please contact the office at 208-883-8502x4 or Contact Us and ask to be added to the interest list for when the next cycle begins.

Please provide your full name, phone, email (if you have it), mailing address, and how you heard about becoming a Habitat homeowner.

Want to learn more? Visit our "About" page or contact the office for specific questions.