Selection
Our Family Selection Committee selects partner families based on an in-depth study of the family. The study involves personal visits and interviews.

Families are reviewed based on their level of need, willingness to partner in the program, and ability to repay the no-interest loan.

Criteria
There are three main criteria for choosing Habitat partner families
They must be under 50 percent of the area medium income.
They must be willing to pay back a long-term, no-interest mortgage.

They must be willing to put in 400 hours of labor (also referred to as “sweat equity”) into building their home or other Habitat projects.

Applying
Families who are interested in applying for an El Paso Habitat home must attend an orientation meeting. At the orientation meeting, you will be given specific information about El Paso Habitat, the application process, and information on the home(s) to be built.
Applications are not sent to applicants through the mail. Families must attend an orientation in order to receive an application. Please call our office at (915) 755-6633 to find out about our next orientation.

Home financing
Habitat acts as the lender for a 20-year to 30-year zero percent interest mortgage. The family signs the mortgage and agrees to repay the cost of the home. The money paid to Habitat (in the form of mortgage payments) is then recycled to help build additional Habitat homes for more families.
The average cost, including land and closing costs, is $50,000 to $55,000. Average monthly mortgages, including taxes, insurance and principle, can range from $350 to $450.

Moving in
The partner family time involved with homeownership varies depending on the availability of homes in the area. From the beginning of the selection process, it may be more than a year until the family can move into their home.

Support
Every time our board accepts a Habitat partner family, a support person is assigned to the family. A support person offers moral support, guidance and encouragement as the family adjusts to homeownership.

Habitat for Humanity - El Paso is an Equal Housing Opportunity organization.