One out of every three households in Lafayette is paying too much for housing, making it hard to achieve financial stability. We are working to change that through affordable homeownership.
When a family can achieve stable, affordable housing, they can then focus on securing other essentials for their family - like adequate healthcare, nutrition, transportation, and childcare.
About our program
Families in need of decent, affordable housing apply for homeownership with Lafayette Habitat for Humanity. Potential homebuyers can qualify for by demonstrating a need for stable housing, the ability to pay an affordable mortgage, and a willingness to accomplish sweat-equity hours and other requirements, like completing financial education programs.
Habitat does not give houses away. Our qualified homebuyers partner with Habitat to help build their homes by putting in more than 200 hours of sweat equity. Then, they purchase their houses with an affordable mortgage financed by Habitat. These mortgage payments are then recycled to build more homes.
Habitat for Humanity follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing Habitat’s homeowners.
How to Qualify
Habitat selects future homeowners using the following four criteria:
1) Need
- Applicant has a current housing need as determined by the condition of current shelter, housing cost, or neighborhood safety.
- Applicant has an inability to meet need for decent housing through other means, specifically that the household income is below 80% of median income for parish where applicant wishes to live.
2) Ability to Pay
- Household income is sufficient to cover basic living expenses plus the monthly mortgage loan.
- Applicant income will not stop or decrease if the applicant owns a home.
- Debt-to-income ratio: Total housing expenses (including projected house payments, insurance, and taxes) should not exceed 30% of monthly gross income.
- Applicant has demonstrated an ability to make regular monthly payments for rent, utilities, etc.
- Applicant has acceptable credit history and does not have excessive collections, bad debt, or bankruptcy (within the last 3 years).
3) Willingness to Partner
- Applicant agrees to disclose financial and personal information, including employment verification (if employed), proof of income, tax returns, payment records, etc.
- Applicant agrees to participate in Habitat’s homeowner orientation & education program.
- Applicant agrees to participate in Habitat’s homeowner orientation & education program.
- Applicant agrees to assume full responsibility for the necessary maintenance and repairs of home after occupancy.
- Applicant agrees to make mortgage payments each month for the duration of the mortgage loan.
4) Residency
- Applicant is a legal resident of the United States of America and a current resident of Louisiana.
How to Apply
Applications for our Affordable Homeownership Program are typically available once a year. During open application periods, interested applicants can download an application here or pick up one from our program office at 823 W. Congress Street in Lafayette. The applicants should submit the completed application along with all of the required attachments to our office before the listed deadline.
Affordable Homeownership applications are not currently open. Please check back for updates.
Voice: 337-261-5041
Fax: 337-269-9131
823 W. Congress St.
Lafayette, LA 70501
ReStore
3123 1/2 Johnston Street
Lafayette, LA 70503
Donation Hotline: 337-371-6030