How is a Habitat family chosen?

The family selection process for a Habitat House involves a lot of effort and hands on work from the family.

The selection process starts with a list of names of possible families. To be eligible the family must first attend an orientation meeting for new families which explains how Habitat works, what the requirements are to be considered, how the process works and more details on what is involved.

Once prospective families have been identified, they are invited to a more in depth informational meeting where the nuts and bolts of home ownership and working on a Habitat house are reviewed.

There is a selection process which involves a financial review to determine if the family is eligible, can they maintain the home, can they afford the utilities, etc. The family's need will be assessed as well. The family must be willing to pay the closing costs for the house, work on the house itself and donate their time to other Habitat homes and events. A family desiring a house through the Portland Maine Habitat organization must live or work in Cumberland County.

The Family Selection Committee makes visits to the family in their present home to determine eligibility.

The family must be willing to put in 250 hours of sweat equity into their home or a combination of their home and other Habitat homes. As the Habitat Organization states it, 'This is a hand up, not a hand out.'

Families must attend financial literacy classes to ensure they understand what is involved in maintaining a home, paying for a home, budgeting for payments and more. They are also required to attend home maintenance classes so they can make small home repairs on their own.

For more information on how the process works, please visit the Portland Maine Habitat website.