Habitat for Humanity International

Infobox NPO
organization_name = Habitat for Humanity International
organization_
organization_motto =
organization_type = Non-profit, Interest group
founded = 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller in Americus, GA
location = Global, international headquarters in Americus
key_people = Jonathan Reckford
fields = Protecting human rights
services = Media attention, build and provide affordable housing
num_members =
homepage = http://www.habitat.org

Habitat For Humanity International (HFHI) (generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or simply Habitat) is an international, ecumenical Christian, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing. Homes are built using volunteer labor and are sold at no profit. In locations outside the United States, Habitat for Humanity charges interest to protect against inflation. This policy has been in place since 1986.

History

The organization was founded in 1976 in Americus, Ga., by Millard and Linda Fuller, whose vision grew out of their experiences at Koinonia Farm. The international headquarters is located in Americus, with additional offices located in Atlanta, Ga., Raleigh, N.C., and West Chester, Pa. Staff members at all locations serve to support and promote the activities of local, independent Habitat for Humanity groups, which initiate and manage construction, mortgages and homeowner selection worldwide.

In 1996, U.S. President Bill Clinton awarded Fuller the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, calling Habitat for Humanity “…the most successful continuous community service project in the history of the United States.” [ [http://www.habitat.org/how/millard.aspx Millard Fuller - Founder
Habitat for Humanity International - Habitat for Humanity Int'l ] ] By 2004 Habitat had built 50,000 houses in the U.S. and over 175,100 around the world, with Habitat groups working in over 100 countries. Although headquartered in the United States, two thirds of Habitat construction takes place in other countries. In 2005 Habitat built its 200,000th house, bringing the number of people sheltered in Habitat houses worldwide to one million. [ [http://www.habitat.org/celebrate_build Much to Celebrate, More to Build - Habitat for Humanity Int'l ] ]

On 4 August 2005, Habitat announced the selection of a new Chief Executive Officer for the organization, former president of stores of Musicland and executive pastor of the Edina, Minnesota Christ Presbyterian Church, Jonathan Reckford. [ [http://www.habitat.org/newceo/ Meet Habitat for Humanity's New Chief Executive Officer:
Jonathan Reckford, Pastor and Veteran Business Leader - Habitat for Humanity Int'l ] ]

In the fall of 2007, alternative rock bands Switchfoot and Relient K went on the Appetite For Construction Tour, partnering with Habitat while raising awareness for the organization and donating a dollar per ticket sold. The tour was highly successful, raising over $100,000 for donation to the cause. [ [http://www.habitateb.org/news/switchfoot.pdf SWITCHFOOT SWAPS BAND INSTRUMENTS FOR BUILDING TOOLS, RAISES OVER $100,000 FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY] - published December 17, 2007 (retrieved March 20, 2008)]

Qualifications for home ownership

According to the official website,

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

Independent, local affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International are allowed to interpret these guidelines as is deemed most appropriate for the location of the affiliate.

Homeowners are usually expected to put approximately 500 hours of "sweat equity" into their own or other project homes, although this amount may vary by location, the number of wage-earning adults in each family, and the recipients health issues.

Mortgage payments from homeowners are deposited into a locally-administered "Fund for Humanity," the proceeds of which go toward future construction. In an effort to discourage predatory lenders from targeting Habitat homeowner families, mortgage agreements allow the Habitat for Humanity affiliate the right of first refusal. Should a homeowner family decide to sell their home during the period of their mortgage, the affiliate may buy it back at a price at least equal to the equity that the homeowner has paid into the mortgage. [Sections 4.1 and 5.7, policy 24, schedule G, Habitat for Humanity U.S. Affiliated Organization Policy Handbook.]

Charging Interest

Habitat homeowners in the United States pay no interest on their no-profit mortgages. Habitat for Humanity organizations outside the United States adjust the no-profit loans to compensate for the inflation rate in their area, with the goal that "the repayments from one house should ideally build another house of the same design." [International Finance Manual, Habitat for Humanity International (2005), Chapter 14, Page 1]

Building

Habitat builds simple houses with locally appropriate materials. This could mean concrete block homes in Third World nations or poured concrete-walled homes in hurricane-prone regions of the United States. Chapters of Habitat in more developed countries are strongly encouraged to donate ten percent of the money they raise for local housing to the national group for the purpose of building Third World homes. For instance, Habitat New Zealand's tithe helps to support an equal number of housing outcomes abroad, predominantly in the Pacific region.

Habitat relies on volunteer labor in order to construct simple and affordable homes for its partner families, as well as to build community and civil society in the areas in which it works. Most volunteers are unskilled prior to first working with Habitat, although some professional or retired tradesmen or contractors may donate their services. Many churches and other houses of worship (synagogues, temples, mosques etc.) sponsor houses and provide a large amount of the volunteers from their congregations. Some corporations and businesses who value good corporate citizenship provide financial support to the projects and/or donate materials for use in construction. Many politicians and celebrities have volunteered with Habitat, reflecting its profile as a highly regarded non-profit.

Programs

Habitat for Humanity International develops special programs to support local Habitat organizations. These programs are designed to engage specific groups for annual projects or on an ongoing basis.

Operation Home Delivery

Habitat has initiated a special program to help restore housing to the areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The effort is focused on getting the local affiliates in these areas back on their feet and prepared to build for their communities. It has also become a catalyst for other organizations, corporations and the government to provide help and support in rebuilding these areas, and has received considerable national media attention.

The program pre-builds housing components in nearby less-affected locations such as Jackson, Mississippi, allowing much of the construction to be accomplished while basic infrastructure is being restored. Pre-constructed components can then be shipped to the affected areas and built at a faster rate. Within two months of the time of the disaster, construction had begun on houses in the Louisiana cities of Covington and Slidell, near New Orleans.

Operation Home Delivery is Habitat for Humanity International's hurricane rebuilding program, Harry Connick Jr., and Branford Marsalis are honorary chairs, and one of the many projects along the Gulf Coast, is the Musicians' Village at New Orleans Habitat for Humanity. [ [http://www.habitat-nola.org/ New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity located in New Orleans, LA ] ]

Collegiate Challenge

Habitat for Humanity runs a year-round alternative break program known as Collegiate Challenge for student groups age 16 and up. [ [http://www.habitat.org/youthprograms/int/collegiate_challenge.aspx Collegiate Challenge Habitat for Humanity International Web page] ] Although summer, fall, and winter break trips are available, most participants go during their spring break. Collegiate Challenge volunteers travel to affiliates throughout the United States and participate in week-long building activities at their host's work sites. More than 14,500 volunteers took part in Collegiate Challenge in 2008, making it one of the world's largest alternative break programs. Since its inception in 1989, more than 150,000 students have participated in Collegiate Challenge.

Global Village Trips

As suggested by the name, Habitat for Humanity International places a strong emphasis on building outside the United States. Its international character dates back even before its formal inception, as founder Millard Fuller received considerable inspiration while on a three-year trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) during which he and his family sought to apply Koinonia principles outside the limits of the small Georgia farm.

Volunteers today can build with Habitat affiliates throughout the world on Global Village Trips. [ [http://www.habitat.org/gv/factsheet_international.aspx International Trips Fact Sheet - Habitat for Humanity Int'l ] ] After having gone through training, trip leaders organize travel plans with the support of the Americus-headquartered Global Village Department, first formally established in 1988. Participants from all over are then able to register for trips to their destination of choice. Teams generally number between eight and fifteen, with trips usually last between nine to fourteen days.

When people of different faiths and cultures come together to build a house, individuals learn from and find new respect for one another. Coming together for the common goal of building a house with a neighbor in need has proven to be a successful way for bringing healing to divided communities and creating a sense of cross cultural unity.

Making it Better in the Long Term with Solar

There are many projects that go hand in hand with the house building projects that allow these homes to supply their own electricity through the use of solar. US companies such as Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) have partnered with Habitat for Humanity to provide complete solar grids for a few homes. [ [http://www.pge.com/about_us/community/solar_habitat/ PG&E Solar Project] ] There are also other solar projects, mostly in the US, like one in San Francisco, [ [http://www.habitatsf.org/gridAltern.php San Francisco Solar] ] as well as normal citizens that are trying to make a difference by raising funds to get more of these solar homes built. [ [http://www.dropcash.com/campaign/JohnnyEvers/solar_for_humanity/ Solar Fund Raising Effort] ]

Home Builders Blitz

During Home Builders Blitz 2008, more than 1,000 building industry professionals in 110 Habitat for Humanity affiliates built 263 new homes across the United States. This was the second national Home Builders Blitz program, which was begun on the local level in 2002 in Raleigh, N.C. Since then, the professional homebuilders industry has supported Habitat by building more than 800 homes.

Jimmy Carter Work Project

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter became involved with Habitat for Humanity in 1984 and has since become its most high-profile proponent. He has been involved in fund-raising and publicity as well as actual homebuilding, taking part in the annual Jimmy Carter Work Project "blitz build". [ [http://www.habitat.org/how/default_jcwp.aspx Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project - Habitat for Humanity Int'l ] ]

In 2008 Habitat for Humanity celebrated the 25th annual building project with the Carters and renamed it to include Mrs. Carter. The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project focused on supporting the Gulf Coast community seeking to rebuild after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Despite periodic downpours, volunteers got most of the work done during one week in June to finish building and fixing 60 houses and frame 48 more. [ [http://www.habitat.org/jcwp/2008/ Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project 2008 - The Gulf Coast - Habitat for Humanity Int'l ] ]

Women Build

Originating in 1991 with a Charlotte, North Carolina home built entirely by a crew of female volunteers, Habitat's Women Build program encourages women to make a difference by building homes and communities. Women Build projects provide an environment in which women can feel comfortable learning construction skills they might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn. Globally, more than 1,200 homes have been completed by Women Build volunteers. [ [http://www.habitat.org/wb/wb_q_and_a.aspx Women Build Frequently Asked Questions - Habitat for Humanity Int'l ] ]

Habitat ReStore

Habitat ReStores are retail outlets that re-sell new and used building and household materials donated by large companies, job sites, and individuals. For some Habitat affiliates, like Habitat for Humanity Toronto, the ReStores generate sufficient revenue to cover all administrative costs. This means that every dollar donated to the organization goes directly to home building, and not to pay for overhead such as administrative costs. [ [http://www.torontohabitat.on.ca/web/about_restore.aspx] ]

Who Says You Can't Go Home

The video for rock band Bon Jovi's song "Who Says You Can't Go Home" features Habitat for Humanity volunteers as well as the band building homes as part of Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia, close to Bon Jovi's native New Jersey. It reflects Jon Bon Jovi's dedication to the organization and highlights the importance of community unity, faith, and involvement.

Criticism

Although Habitat for Humanity enjoys high name recognition and regard as a non-profit, it has also been the subject of criticism. An article in the Weekly Standard [ [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Protected/Articles/000/000/005/687hgyza.asp Jimmy Carter's Favorite Charity ] ] magazine questioned the cost-effectiveness of Habitat building projects. It is difficult to estimate effectiveness, as total volunteer hours on-site and aggregated homeowner financial data are not available.

However, Habitat houses in the United States are more affordable for low-income families than commercially built houses because volunteers help build the homes, which are sold at no profit. [ [http://www.habitat.org/how/factsheet.aspx Habitat for Humanity Fact Sheet -- Habitat for Humanity International] ] In many countries, purchasing a Habitat house costs even less per month than renting substandard housing. [ [http://www.habitat.org/intl/lac/57.aspx Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic--Habitat for Humanity International] [http://www.habitat.org/intl/lac/133.aspx Habitat for Humanity Mexico--Habitat for Humanity International] [http://www.habitat.org/intl/lac/157.aspx Habitat for Humanity Paraguay--Habitat for Humanity International] ]

Families are required to show an ability to pay for their home in addition to the need for housing. With these requirements, homeless and low income families may fail to qualify for a Habitat home. Most American Habitat affiliates perform credit checks and criminal record checks on applicants before partnering with them for the construction of a home. Some critics therefore allege that Habitat misrepresents the nature of its work by partnering with families that might be considered nearly "middle-income." [ [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Protected/Articles/000/000/005/687hgyza.asp Jimmy Carter's Favorite Charity ] ] To address this, many Habitat affiliates in the United States partner only with families that fall below the government-set "poverty line" for their area. The current poverty rate is measured according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines. [ [http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml Poverty Guidelines, Research, and Measurement: Home Page ] ]

The credit and income requirements help assure that Habitat applicants are able to maintain their houses. Foreclosures on Habitat houses have been very low: 2%, according to official figures. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are used to build more Habitat homes. [ [http://www.habitat.org/how/factsheet.aspx Habitat for Humanity Fact Sheet - Habitat for Humanity Int'l ] ]

Ousting of the founder

Habitat's founder, Millard Fuller, and his wife were dismissed by the Habitat board of directors on January 31, 2005, citing “a pattern of ongoing public comments and communications by the Fullers that have been divisive and disruptive to the organization’s work” [ [http://www.habitat.org/newsroom/2005archive/insitedoc008382.aspx#P2_13 Habitat for Humanity president terminated--Habitat for Humanity International] ] after Fuller was accused of "suggestive comments and inappropriate touching" toward a female employee during a ride to the Atlanta airport in 2003. Some Fuller supporters claim that the firing was due to a change in corporate culture. [ [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/106/12.0.html Questions Follow Fuller's Firing from Habitat for Humanity | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction ] ]

Before Fuller's termination, attempts were made by former President Jimmy Carter to broker an agreement that would allow Fuller to retire with his $79,000 salary intact; when Fuller was found to have violated the non-disclosure portion of this agreement, he was subsequently fired.

In response to his dismissal from the project he founded, Fuller has established The Fuller Center for Housing.

Conflicts with Affiliates

In January 2008 a dispute arose between the parent organization and an unspecified number of local Habitat for Humanity affiliate organizations over the terms of their cooperation agreement. These local affiliates contended that the agreement gave the international organization too much power over the assets and operations of the local chapters. One of the affiliates, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio, reached an agreement with HFHI in July 2008 to “continue working together in their efforts to make affordable housing possible.” [ [http://www.habitat.org/newsroom/2008archive/07_04_2008_san_antonio.aspx Habitat for Humanity International and Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio reach agreement to continue affordable housing partnership] ]

See also

* Architecture for Humanity
*

References

External links

* [http://www.habitat.org/ Official Habitat for Humanity website]
* [http://www.habitathrm.com/ Official Habitat for Humanity Halifax Regional Municipality website]
* [http://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/ Official Habitat for Humanity Great Britain website]
* [http://www.habitat.org/how/whatlike.aspx Example Houses]
* [http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx Directory of U.S. and Canadian ReStore locations]
* [http://www.millardfuller.com MillardFuller.com]
* [http://www.habitat.org/local/ Local Affiliate Finder]
* [http://www.habitatekc.org/ Habitat of East King County] (Seattle metro area, WA)
* [http://www.habitatlasvegas.org/ Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas] (Las Vegas, NV)
* [http://www.habitatlehighvalley.org/ Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley] (Lehigh Valley, PA)