HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF ARKANSAS CITY 

Applications will be accepted from February 1st to April 15th. Applications received after April 15th will be returned and not considered.  The partner family will be selected by the first of June.  The house will begin building in September and be finished by the end of February.

FAMILY SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Current housing has problems with any of the following:  heating system, water supply, electricity, bathrooms, kitchen, structural, plumbing, leaking roof, holes in the floor, etc.

2. Current housing has an inadequate number of bedrooms in relation to the number, ages and sex of household members.

3. The family is unable to obtain a conventional or government mortgage loan to purchase a home.

1. The annual gross family income must be 30-50% of the Cowley County median family income. For example, to qualify for a house (family of 4) a family must earn between $28,650 and $45,850 per year; for a 6 person family between $33,250 and $53,200 per year.  Food stamps are not counted as income.  There must be a reasonable work history.  Applicants must have held the same job for a minimum of one year with a steady work history prior to that.

2. The family must have the ability to make monthly house payments and monthly payments toward their current debt.  The total of the monthly house payment (includes the principal loan payment, taxes, and insurance) and monthly debt payments  should not be greater than 1/3 of the total gross monthly income.

3. The family must have a satisfactory credit history and references.  Evidence of the capability to pay off any and all bad debts and financial judgments must exist. 

4. A down payment of $250 is required at the time of the house closing. In addition, prepayment of the homeowners insurance is required. The insurance normally runs around $1,000.

An approved applicant must be willing to “partner” with Habitat for Humanity by:

1. Completing 300 hours of “sweat equity” prior to closing.  Applicants may have up to 100 hours of their sweat equity contributed by extended family members, friends, or church members recruited by the applicant.

2. Maintaining their Habitat for Humanity home in a manner that reflects a positive image of Habitat for Humanity to the larger community and in a manner that reflects pride in home ownership.

3. Maintain a checking or savings account where funds that shall be directly transferred by an auto-payment system for monthly house payments.

4. Attend a financial course designed for our home owners with-in six months of being named recipient of home through Eagle’ Nest of Winfield.

5. Signing a contract of acceptance of partnership with Arkansas City Habitat for Humanity, Inc.