SOUTHEAST NEW HAMPSHIRE HFH

SENH Habitat’s affordable housing program helps to create a setting that liberates families from instability, financial stress and fear. We work diligently to strengthen deserving families and communities in southern NH through affordable home ownership opportunities by utilizing land that is either donated or purchased and build homes by utilizing volunteers.

We refer to a potential home owner as “Partner Family” and each adult is required to work 250 “sweat equity hours” with our staff and volunteers by helping to build their home. Friends and family are allowed to perform 100 hours of the 250 sweat equity hours to assist their loved ones.

Each Partner Families monthly mortgage payments are comprised of escrow for taxes and insurance, as well as an affordable principal payment. We currently have 18 Partner Families paying an average $300 monthly principal payment which generates approximately $5,400 in mortgage revenue each month; allowing SENH Habitat to continue building more homes and enables Partner Families to pay it forward for many years to come.

Our Family Selection Committee meet to review all of the Partner Family applications we have received. SENH Habitat strives to choose the applicant who have the greatest need and meet all of the qualifications set forth by HFHI, offering 0.00% interest mortgage offered to all SENH Habitat’s Partner Families. Each new construction project timeline varies, however it can typically take 12-18 months from the beginning of application process to completion and we are able to reduce overall construction costs by utilizing volunteers to build each Habitat home.

SENH Habitat proudly serves Strafford County and 19 towns/cities in Rockingham County. Since being established as a nonprofit organization in 1994 our construction projects have placed more than 140 people in quality, affordable, and safe housing. We have built or renovated 30+ homes in several NH communities which include, Dover, Raymond, Durham, Gonic, Middleton, Northwood, Rochester, Somersworth, and Farmington. Our largest completed project to date is a four-home community in Farmington, Berry Court, also known as Joseph Halle Way which was named after the donor of the property.

Noteworthy effects of the sweat equity process are the acquisition of basic carpentry and power tool skills, which will serve them well as homeowners, and less tangible but important is the pride and self-esteem that develops in the individual. In addition, the social and cultural aspect is important. Our families, who come from varied backgrounds and ethnicities, have the opportunity to bond and create relationships with our volunteers over the build period. This process is of great benefit and enrichment to the families and volunteers alike and contributes to the success of our organization.

As an additional requirement of the program adults of the Partner Family attend financial, including managing a budget, and home-owners seminars which we sponsor. This augments the skills they acquire on the build site or in the office and readies those to be well prepared responsible stewards and sustainable first time home buyers.

The final step in the process for the Partner Family to officially become Habitat Home Owners is the signing of a 0.00% Interest Mortgage funded and held by our organization. We maintain the servicing in our Portsmouth office so that we can continue to be a support system to our families and be available if and when they need us.

As you can see, we provide families with a “hand-up” not a “hand-out”.