Apply For a Home

Thank you for your interest in applying for a Habitat for Humanity home. Habitat for Humanity Lakeside’s family selection committee chooses homeowners using criteria in a way that does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, handicap, religion, material status or because all or part of an applicants income is derived from public assistance programs.

Criteria for Qualifying for a Habitat for Humanity Home

1. Need

a. You will be considered for a Habitat home if your present housing is not adequate and if you are unable to obtain adequate housing through other conventional means. Lack of conventional housing may include problems with: the present structure, water, electrical or sewage system services, heating system or failure to meet city property maintenance standards. Also taken into consideration are the numbers, the ages and the sex of children compared to the number of bedrooms in your present home (i.e. overcrowding).

b. The percentage of your monthly income that you currently spend on housing is considered to determine need. You will be required to openly and fully discuss your financial situation with a Habitat family selection committee volunteer and possibly a budget counselor.

c. You must be a current Sheboygan County resident with at least one year of residency in Sheboygan County. You and your family will be considered if your total income is not below 25% or above 50% of Sheboygan County’s median income.

For example:

2006 County Median Income
Sheboygan County, WI

2. Ability to pay

Since you will actually be buying your home from Habitat, you must demonstrate your ability to pay the monthly mortgage payment. The payment will include not only the mortgage payment, but annual real estate taxes and insurance premiums. The family selection committee, with the assistance of a budget counselor, will help you determine if this payment will jeopardize your ability to meet all your other family obligations and expenses. There is no interest on the loan for a Habitat home.

3. Willingness to participate as a partner with Habitat

a. If selected and approved by the Board of Directors, you become a “partner family” in the Habitat movement. To become a partner family you must complete up to 500 hours of volunteer work with Habitat, which will count toward your total “sweat equity” contribution to be completed before moving in and closing on your Habitat home.

Your assistance in constructing your home and the homes of others, called “sweat equity,” may include clearing the lot, painting, helping with construction, helping prepare lunches for volunteers or working on administrative work for the affiliate. As a partner family you must individually complete 70% of your sweat equity hours. Relatives and friends may contribute the remaining 30% of sweat equity hours, thereby helping your family complete this requirement for homeownership.

b. You will be responsible for future maintenance and repairs upon moving into your home.

c. After moving into your home, the family partnering committee will maintain an ongoing relationship with you. This could include financial counseling, if desired, or passing along household maintenance information periodically.

If you feel you may meet these criteria and would like to apply for a Habitat home, please do one of the following:

Contact our office at (920) 458-3399 and please leave a message requesting an application.

Send an email to hfhlakeside@excel.net and request an application.

Send a letter requesting an application to:
             Habitat for Humanity Lakeside
             PO Box 973
             Sheboygan, WI 53082-0973

Or fill out an application on-line and mail it to our office.