Habitat for Humanity San Francisco partners with working families and engages the community to build home ownership.

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit organization that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat for Humanity is currently building homes in partnership with families of low-income in over 3,000 communities around the world.

Locally, Habitat for Humanity San Francisco (HHSF) was founded in 1992 to provide a solution to San Francisco's critical need for decent, safe and affordable housing. Since 1996 HHSF has built 30 homes in San Francisco, housing 69 adults and 92 children.

Habitat for Humanity San Francisco Partner Families

The Habitat for Humanity approach encourages self-help by providing a "hand up—not a hand out." HHSF builds homes in partnership with families who earn between 40-60% of the Area Median Income. Families are selected based on three criteria: their ability to repay an interest-free mortgage, their demonstrated need for safe, decent and affordable housing, and their willingness to partner with HHSF.

In order to partner with HHSF, a household must complete at least 500 hours of "sweat equity" volunteer hours contributed by the family to build their own home. Additionally, partner families must repay an interest-free mortgage and participate in a year-long homeownership program.

Construction and Funding of Habitat for Humanity San Francisco Houses

Every year, over 3,000 volunteers work alongside partner families to help build Habitat homes in San Francisco. Volunteers complete over 90% of the construction work on each HHSF home. HHSF relies on the support of individuals, businesses, civic organizations, religious groups, and private foundations to fund the construction of affordable houses. Since homeowners' mortgages are used to build additional HHSF houses, each gift becomes a perpetual legacy to the community.

Habitat for Humanity San Francisco Builds Homes and Hope

For HHSF partner families, homeownership means more than just having a roof over their heads. Homeownership provides families with an opportunity to better their lives and those of their children. It affords families the chance to break the cycle of poverty, establish financial stability and to build an equity stake in their communities.

The effects of the HHSF program reach beyond the partner families. By fostering partnerships with all members of a community, HHSF revitalizes the neighborhoods in which it builds by enhancing vitality, diversity and stability. The result is that HHSF and its partners build not only homes but also hope for individuals, families and the communities in which they live.