Homeownership Program
CCB# 217601
Homeownership can transform lives
It creates long-lasting and life-changing impact on families and communities, from providing a source of wealth and asset-building to influencing health and educational outcomes and contributing to positive community development. The first step in bringing homeownership to more families, however, is to understand who currently has access to homeownership and what factors play a role.
Access to Homeownership
Click below for an evidence brief that will:
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Summarize research on trends in homeownership and barriers to achieving it.
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Provide an overview of the racial gap in homeownership, including key drivers.
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Share how Habitat for Humanity increases access to homeownership.
Wealth Building Through Homeownership
The evidence brief includes:
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Research on the financial benefits of homeownership for low-income households, single women and households of color.
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Key factors to building home equity.
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Major barriers to building home equity for households of color.
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Ways that Habitat for Humanity contributes to these key factors to encourage wealth building.
Benefits of Homeownership
Click below for an evidence brief that includes:
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Research on how homeownership leads to better test scores, higher rates of high school graduation rates and college attendance.
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An overview of how homeownership promotes civic and social engagement.
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A study of homeownership as a catalyst to wealth building for U.S. households.
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Research on how decent, affordable housing improves physical and mental health.
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Ways that Habitat for Humanity incorporates sustainability and energy-efficiency into home designs.
Habitat for Humanity homes provide families a foundation on which they can build long-term financial security. Ultimately, we build much more than houses – the impact of homeownership is profound and lasting. Children’s educational performance, employment success, and life satisfaction are all improved through home ownership.
We serve families whose annual income falls approximately within 40-80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) as determined each year by HUD. The percent of AMI may vary slightly from year to year depending on available funding and grant requirements (currently set at 45-80%).
Habitat homes are not free. The home is sold to the partner family with an affordable mortgage. In addition, each Habitat partner family must put in several hundred hours of “sweat equity,” helping to build others’ homes as well as their own. The sweat equity requirement involves families in helping others, and teaches them skills they can use later in maintaining and repairing their home. Families who turn to Habitat are typically struggling with substandard living conditions, coping with a high crime environment, are in overcrowded housing, and paying too much of their low incomes for rent. They come to Habitat looking for stability, opportunity and hope. Habitat for Humanity offers all those things, and more.
Permanent Affordability
We’re committed to a building homes that are affordable to families and individuals living on low incomes – not just today, but for generations to come. Our new permanent affordability model will allow Habitat homeowners to continue building equity in their homes, while also ensuring that the home is affordable to the next buyer. This is made possible through a land-lease program where HFHLC retains ownership of the land, combined with a predetermined resale formula. Should the homeowner decide to sell, the formula allocates a portion of the change in appraised value to the homeowner. This helps keep the price low enough that the next low-income buyer can afford to purchase the home.
Equal Housing Opportunity
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of the 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, gender identity, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
To qualify for a home you must:
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Have a current need for affordable shelter. (If you currently own a home, you are not eligible for Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County’s home ownership program.)
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Have the ability to pay a monthly mortgage, based on your annual income.
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Be willing to participate as a partner with HFHLC, putting in 350 – 500 hours of “sweat equity” on your future home. (350 hours for single adult households, 500 hours for households with two or more adults.)
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Qualify as a low-income household with annual income of 50-80% of median family income for Lincoln County, based on household size. This includes gross income for all adult members of the household.
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Be a resident of Lincoln County. (Residency for HFHLC is 1 year.)
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Be able to pass a sex offender background check with a clean record.
Annual Median Income (AMI) Qualifications
Based on Household Size
For those who qualify, the process is:
Step 1: Submit Documents
Submit all requested documents by the deadline as stated in the letter.
Step 2: Income Verification
We will use the documents you supply to verify that you meet the income and debt limits of the program.
Step 3: Sex Offender Background Check
We will check sex offender lists to verify that applicants and co-applicants do not appear on these lists.
Step 4: Loan Qualification
If your verified income and debt fall within the program limits and you do not appear on the sex offender lists, you will be asked to work with a mortgage broker to pre-qualify for a loan from an approved lender. At this time, USDA Rural Home Loans are the only approved loan product.
Step 5: Home Interview
Once we receive your loan pre-approval, the Homeowner Selection Committee will schedule a home visit with qualified applicants and interview the families to further determine the applicants’ level of need. After all home visits have been completed, the Committee makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors, who then make the final decision.
Step 6: Sign a Partnership Agreement
Step 7: Complete Financial Foundations and Homebuyer Training
Step 8: Complete Sweat Equity Hours / Help Build Your New Home
Ideally, you will complete sweat equity hours by helping build your new home. You'll learn valuable skills to help maintain your home after the purchase. Alternative methods for completing sweat equity are available for those physically unable to help with construction.
Step 9: Purchase Your Home / Sign Mortgage Documents
Once the home has been completed and a certificate of occupancy has been granted, partner families will sign loan documents and mortgage agreements.
Step 10: Move In!
Step 11: Begin Monthly Mortgage Payments
Current Projects
Waldport
A family has been selected to partner on the construction and purchase of one of the two homes in Waldport. Application cycle for the second home in Waldport has closed February 20, 2026.
Groundbreaking for the homes was in Spring of 2025 with anticipated completion in Summer of 2026.
Habitat for Humanity homes are not free: income from the sale of homes keep our building program sustainable.
To donate land to HFHLC, or to volunteer on our next home build, please donate online or give us a call. There are many ways to volunteer or donate to construction projects. You can donate materials and services, work on a work crew, coordinate refreshments for existing work crews or provide monetary assistance.
We are proud to be partnering with ACID Architects for our Waldport builds!
Completed Projects
Lincoln City
HFHLC built six homes in Lincoln City with completion dates in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2024. Low-income homeowners are purchasing these homes through 30 year, zero-percent loans.
For our recent home builds in Lincoln City (2024), significant funding for them was made available through the Oregon Housing & Community Services Local Innovation Fast Track (LIFT) program and the City of Lincoln City. Land was generously donated by Lincoln County. Other major funders include Spirit Mountain Community Fund, Lincoln County Board of Realtors & the HOME Foundation, NW Natural, Brad Bettridge & Katy DiNatale, Ron Tierney, and Alison Baker.
Newport
HFHLC completed construction of two townhomes and sold them to low-income families through 30 year, zero percent loans.
Siletz
HFHLC completed construction of a single-family home in Siletz in 2011 and sold it to a low-income family through a 30 year, zero percent loan.
HFHLC rehabilitated a single-family home in Siletz in 2015. Volunteer General Contractor John Robinson directed this home build along with many of our veteran volunteers, including Angell Job Corps students. The completed rehab was sold to the Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County homeowner through a 30 year, zero-percent loan.
South Beach
HFHLC's first projects were two single-family homes in South Beach, completed in 1999. The homes were sold to a low-income families through 30 year, zero-percent loans.
Toledo
HFHLC constructed two single family homes in Toledo in 2001 and 2003. These homes were sold to low-income families through 20 year, zero-percent loans. Both homeowners made their final payments in early 2021 and now own the homes outright. Another home was completed in Toledo in 2010 and sold to a low-income homeowner through a 30 year, zero-percent loan.
Waldport
HFHLC completed two single family homes in Waldport in 2013. Volunteer General Contractor Joe Vandehey guided these home builds along with many faithful volunteers, including Angell Job Corp students. These homes were sold to low-income families through a 30 year, zero-percent loan. Please join us in thanking the Bacon, Lundy and Pankey families for selling this property to Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County at a much reduced cost.