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About
Habitat >San Bernardino Affiliate
Habitat
for Humanity, San Bernardino Area, Inc. is a faith based non-profit
organization with the mission of eliminating poverty housing. We
plan to achieve this mission by providing decent, affordable housing
for low-income families by bringing together the necessary volunteers,
experienced help, suppliers, city and government agencies, and families
to form partnerships in an atmosphere of God's love for all people.
The
organization is based on Christian principles and is open to everyone
regardless of faith, including the Board of Directors, partner families
and volunteers. Habitat is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 corporation and
is included in group exemption number 8545.
This is not
a giveaway program. Selected local families who receive homes must
partner with Habitat and:
- Contribute
500 hours of sweat equity by participating in the actual construction
of their own house and other Habitat projects;
- Make a
1% down payment including closing costs (approximately $1500 total);
- Pay approximately
$450 - $500 per month for combined mortgage, tax, and insurance
payments. These figures are based on an interest free loan over
a period of 20 years;
- Share their
story through the media.
Habitat for Humanity, San Bernardino Area, Inc. is an affiliate
of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI). Founded by Millard
and Linda Fuller, HFHI and its affiliates - in more than 3,000 communities
in 87 countries - have built and sold more than 200,000 homes since
its inception about 30 years ago.
The
affiliate in the San Bernardino area was started by a group of citizens
who were concerned about the number of familes living at the poverty
level and spending a large portion of their income on housing. These
families find it difficult or impossible to qualify for conventional
loan programs.
More
than a quarter of the residents in San Bernardino County live at
or below the poverty level. With a population of 175,000, 47% of
the renters in the metropolitan area of San Bernardino have "worst
case" housing needs. These households have income levels below
50% of the area’s median incomes, spend more than 50% of their
income on rent, and are living in substandard housing.
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