Local Habitat affiliates (like the one here in Athens County ) coordinate house building and select partner families.

Habitat houses are purchased by the homeowner families. Three factors make the houses affordable to low-income people worldwide:

1.  Houses are sold at no profit, with no interest charged on the mortgage

2.  Homeowners and volunteers build the houses under trained supervision

3.  Individuals, corporations, faith groups and others provide financial support

Homeowner families are chosen according to their need; their ability to repay the no-profit, no-interest mortgage; and their willingness to work in partnership with Habitat.  Habitat for Humanity does not discriminate according to race, religion or ethnic group.

We work in partnership with families to build safe, decent and affordable homes. Costs are kept low by using as much volunteer labor and materials as possible. Families selected are chosen by the affiliate's Family Selection Committee which reviews an applicant family's income, current debts, ability to repay, and inadequate living conditions. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families who receive Habitat houses. The selected families are required to put in 250 hours of "sweat equity" into their home, by working side by side with Habitat volunteers on building-related projects such as construction and fundraising.

Each Habitat for Humanity home is sold to a family in need at no profit and at no interest. The cost of the home is then repaid by a no-interest mortgage over a fixed period of time. These payments are then recycled to build more houses in Athens County. Homes have been built in Athens, Coolville, Amesville, Nelsonville, Sharpsburg and Glouster. Eight homes have been built in Athens County since 1990.