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Homeownership FAQ

Homeownership FAQ
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Review our guidelines for application criteria and requirements!

How does Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay operate?
  • ​Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay (HfHMB) builds shelter, stability, and self-reliance through homeownership for eligible families. 

  • Households in Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay that qualify for our homeownership program will apply, build, purchase, and move into a new home at an affordable price.

How are the applicants selected?
  • Applicants will submit a complete pre-application when available. Upon initial requirements being met, eligible applicants will be invited to complete a full application where we will also ask you to gather additional documents and information needed to confirm that the applicants meet all requirements.​

  • Applicants are selected based on their need for housing, ability to pay, and willingness to partner with HfHMB.

What are the requirements and criteria?
  • HfHMB partners with qualified applicants who meet the following criteria:​

    • In need of improved housing​

      • Housing costs exceed more than 30% of your monthly income

      • Current living conditions are overcrowded, inadequate or inaccessible, unhealthy or poorly built, damaged by natural disasters, etc.

      • Applicants Annual Gross Income is between 50% - 80% of Area Median Income (click here)

    • Ability to pay an affordable mortgage

      • Income source(s) are steady and verifiable

      • Ability to pay a long-term mortgage​, a down payment of $1,500, and 1-2% of the mortgage in closing costs

      • Those mortgage payments are then cycled back into the community to help build more affordable homes.

    •  Willingness to partner with Habitat

      • Habitat homebuyers put in 500 hours of "sweat equity" helping build their own home and the homes of others in the program.​

      • Sweat equity includes helping at the construction site, home maintenance, and other topics to help ensure capability for the demands of homeownership.

    • Must be a first-time homebuyer​

      • No homeownership in a principal residence in the last 3 years

    • Must be a legal permanent resident or citizen of the United States 

      • Proof of residency is required when submitting an application

Are there income limits for eligibility? 
  • HfHMB partners with very-low to low-income families earning 50% to 80% of Santa Cruz's area median income. ​

How much does a Habitat home cost?
  • Habitat houses cannot be determined until the house is complete. ​No matter what the price of those, Habitat is committed to keeping housing payments affordable and set at 30% of their household gross monthly income at the time of sale.

  • This monthly amount will include the mortgage payment, property taxes, interest (if applicable), and HOA dues.

Will background checks be conducted?​​​
  • Yes. HfHMB does background checks on all household members over the age of 18.​

I've volunteered in the past with HfHMB, does this mean I'm automatically qualified?
  • All applicants must go through the application process and any past volunteer work with HfHMB does not exempt applicants from needing to do so.​

How long does the Homeownership process take?​​​
  • The process length varies from applicant to applicant. A variety of factors impact how long the process of becoming a Habitat Homeowner takes including housing availability, meeting eligibility requirements, the volume of pre-applications received by Habitat, and completion of required documents provided by the applicant.  

  • Habitat will keep applicants informed of where they are in the process along the way.

Cómo opera Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay?
  • Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay (HfHMB) construye establidad y autosufciencia a traves de la propiedad de vivienda para familias eligibles

  • Los hogares en Santa Cruz y Monterey que califican para nuestro programa de propiedad de vivienda solicitaran, construiran, compraran y se mudaran a una nueva casa a un precio asequible y economico


Como se seleccionan los candidatos?
  • Los solicitantes enviaran una pre-solicitud "pre-aplicacion" completa cuando sean disponisble. Una vez que se cumplan los requistos inciales, se invitara a los solicitantes elegibles a completar una solicitud completa donde tamien le pediremos que recopile los documentos e infromaction adicionales necesarios para confirmar que los solicitantes cumplen con todos los requisitos


Cuales son los requisitos y criterios?
  • HfHMB se asocia con solicitantes calificados que cumplen con los siguientes criterios:

    • Necesita una vivienda mejorada​

      • Los costos de vivienda superan mas del 30% de sus ingresos mensuales​

      • Las condiciones de vivienda actuales son inadecuadas o inaccesibles, mal construidads, dañadas, etc

      • El ingreso anual de los solicitantes esta enre el 50% y el 80% del ingreso medio del area (haz click aqui)

    • Capacidad de pagar una hipoteca asequible​

      • Los ingresos de cada hogar son constantes y verificables ​

      • Capacidad para pagar una hipoteca a largo plazo, un pago inicial de $1,500 y el 1-2% de la hipoteca en los costos de cierre

      • Luego, esos pagos de la hipoteca se reintegran a la comunidad para ayudar a construi aun mas viviendas

    • Voluntad de asociarse con Habitat​

      • Los compradores de casas de Habitat invertiran 500 horas de "sweat equity" para ayudar construir su propia casa yu la de otras familias en el programa.​

      • El "sweat equity" incluye ayudar en el sitio de construccion, el mantenimiento de la casa, y otros temas para ayudar a garantizar la capacidad para las demandes de ser propietario de vivienda.

    • Debe ser comprador de vivienda por primera vez​

      • Sin propiedad de vivienda en una residencia principal en los ulitmos 3 años​

    • Debe ser residente permanente legal o ciudadano de los Estados Unidos​

      • Se requiere comporbante de residencia al enviar una solicitud​


Existen limites de ingresos para la elegibilidad?
  • Aplicantes deben caer entre el 50% y 80% del ingreso medio del area (AMI) ajustados por el tamaño de hogar.


Cuanto cuesta una vivienda de Habitat?
  • Habitat vende casas por valor de marcado, que no se peuede determinar hasta que la casa este terminada. No importa cual sea el precio de esos, Habitat se compromete a mantener los pagos de la vivienda asequibles y fijadoes en el 30% del ingreso mensual bruto de su hogar en el momento de la venta.

  • Esta cantidada mensual incluira el pago de la hipoteca, los impuestos sobre la propiedad, los intereses, y las cuotas de la HOA. 


Se realizaran verificaciones de antecedentes?
  • Si. HfHMB verifica los antecedentes de todos los miembros del hogar mayores de 18 años.

He sido voluntario en el pasado con HfHMB, significa esto que estoy calificado automaticamente?
  • Todos los solicitantes deben pasar por el proceso de solicitud y cualquier trabajo voluntario anterior con HfHMB no exime a los solicitantes de tener que hacerlo.
Questions?

For any questions, contact Everardo Jaime Jr. at

(831) 469-4663, ext 14

familyservices@habitatmontereybay.org 

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