The Habitat for Humanity Drumheller Chapter is seeking new applicants interested in purchasing a new home with some conditions.
The process has three simple steps: Take the eligibility quiz, attend an open house and then submit an application. The quiz portion has six questions that determine whether basic criteria to get approved for an affordable mortgage is met and can be found on the Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta website at https://www.habitatsouthernab.ca/own-a-home/quiz.
“I can not express how desperately we need families to apply,” began Sheri Cooper of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta. “If we get one family approved we can do our build so it’s not even a matter of needing two families immediately, we just need one family. Of course, we are building a duplex so we will need two families but not having two [families] right now will not prevent the build.”
What makes Habitat for Humanity so successful is the unconventional access once families are approved for a home. The program is essentially an interest-free mortgage that can be paid within a time frame of up to 40 years.
“There is no interest and there is no down payment The down payment comes with the 500 hours of sweat equity that you put in and that can be completed in a variety of different ways. Volunteering is a big one, you wouldn’t necessarily be swinging a hammer on your own house but there are definitely opportunities to volunteer in this community and with Habitat for that matter,” she said.
Revenue Canada recently changed the requirements for gift-in-kind which has in turn raised cash requirements. The organization is now looking for $40,000 to make the family dream home a reality.
Cooper explained the organization is on schedule to build sometime later this year and are hoping to have the duplex complete by Christmas.
Council has also waived the building and development permit fees for the 2018 Habitat for Humanity project as a one-time request to help alleviate the cost of building.
