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Our partner families are chosen after a careful review process during which we assess their need for housing, their ability to repay a zero-interest, no-profit mortgage, and their willingness to partner with Habitat through sweat equity.
Habitat provides "a hand up, not a hand out".
The first step to becoming a Habitat family is to complete the Homeowner Pre-screening Application and mail it to Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus, attention: Family Services and Community Outreach Director. Families, who meet the requirements, are then invited to fill out a more thorough application. Applications are carefully reviewed and applications for qualifying families are sent to our Board of Trustees for final approval. Once a selected family has approved, they begin working on their Sweat Equity requirements.
Every HFHGC partner family must perform a minimum of 200-250 hours of sweat equity, which includes working on their own house and those of other Habitat families, attending homeownership classes, and providing Habitat program support. Every family also assumes a no-interest, no-profit mortgage with payments based on family income. Because HFHGC holds and services these mortgages, we have a long-term relationship with our homeowners and the communities in which they live.
Our success rate is impressive: We have built more than 170 houses over the past 19 years and 95% of Habitat partner families are successful in repaying their mortgage.
Homeowner Pre-Screening Questionnaire PDF
The Beehive:
The Beehive (www.thebeehive.org)
is an award-winning, multilingual Web portal that provides low-income
individuals web-based tools and information about financial services, education,
jobs, health care, and family. The site features topics that can help people
raise their standard of living by accessing information and learning how to take
action on issues that are important to them and can change their lives.
Free Tax Filing Through Beehive!
One of the newest options to come
to the Beehive is FREE tax filing! Although the Beehive was created for
low-income populations, the site is open to everyone. If a person made under
$54,000 in 2007, he/she can file federal and state income taxes
securely & FOR FREE
on the Beehive link (www.thebeehive.org), powered by
H&R Block. Below are links to more details.
Tax Flyer. PDF
Facts Sheet.
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