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Just The FactsWhat is Kaua`i Habitat for Humanity?
Kauai Habitat for Humanity is a local Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, which is a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry. Habitat seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.5 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. In the United States there currently are more than 2,300 affiliates.
What has Kaua`i Habitat accomplished?
Kaua`i Habitat was founded in 1992 after hurricane Iniki struck the island and since then has completed 100 houses around the island from Hanalei to Kekaha, providing 550 people with safe, decent, affordable shelter.
Kauai Habitat is developing its Ele’ele Iluna Subdivision on 24 acres in Ele’ele. The subdivision will be split in two Phases. Phase I infrastructure is completed and consists of 18 lots. Phase II will provide an additional 107 lots and plans on completing the infrastructure for Phase II in 2010.
How does it work?
Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. Kauai Habitat offers 0% interest financing for the cost to build the houses. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.
Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest at least 700 hours of their own labor — sweat equity — into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.
How are the partner families selected?
Families in need of decent shelter apply and the family selection committee chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the loan. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families who receive Habitat houses.
What does a Habitat house cost?
Throughout the world, the cost of houses varies from as little as $800 in some developing countries to an average of nearly $60,000 in the United States.
For the first 83 homes built on leasehold land or land owned by “Partner Families” the Kauai house prices ranged from $35,000 up to $80,000. In our Ele’ele Iluna Subdivision, houses including the cost of land range between $165,000 to $185,000. Our home construction cost averages a low $65 per square foot.
Habitat houses are affordable for low-income families because there is no profit included in the sale price. Mortgage length varies from seven to 30 years.
Commitment to Solar Energy.
The Board of Directors established an “Energy Efficiency Fund” and received a $215,000 grant in order to install Solar Water Heating system on all new Habitat homes. In addition, with the abundance of sunlight in Hawaii and trade winds we are also exploring the possibly of installing alternative electric power sources.
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Kauai Habitat for Humanity is a local Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, which is a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry. Habitat seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.5 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. In the United States there currently are more than 2,300 affiliates.
What has Kaua`i Habitat accomplished?
Kaua`i Habitat was founded in 1992 after hurricane Iniki struck the island and since then has completed 100 houses around the island from Hanalei to Kekaha, providing 550 people with safe, decent, affordable shelter.
Kauai Habitat is developing its Ele’ele Iluna Subdivision on 24 acres in Ele’ele. The subdivision will be split in two Phases. Phase I infrastructure is completed and consists of 18 lots. Phase II will provide an additional 107 lots and plans on completing the infrastructure for Phase II in 2010.
How does it work?
Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. Kauai Habitat offers 0% interest financing for the cost to build the houses. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.
Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest at least 700 hours of their own labor — sweat equity — into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.
How are the partner families selected?
Families in need of decent shelter apply and the family selection committee chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the loan. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families who receive Habitat houses.
What does a Habitat house cost?
Throughout the world, the cost of houses varies from as little as $800 in some developing countries to an average of nearly $60,000 in the United States.
For the first 83 homes built on leasehold land or land owned by “Partner Families” the Kauai house prices ranged from $35,000 up to $80,000. In our Ele’ele Iluna Subdivision, houses including the cost of land range between $165,000 to $185,000. Our home construction cost averages a low $65 per square foot.
Habitat houses are affordable for low-income families because there is no profit included in the sale price. Mortgage length varies from seven to 30 years.
Commitment to Solar Energy.
The Board of Directors established an “Energy Efficiency Fund” and received a $215,000 grant in order to install Solar Water Heating system on all new Habitat homes. In addition, with the abundance of sunlight in Hawaii and trade winds we are also exploring the possibly of installing alternative electric power sources.
Open PDF
