Affordable Homeownership: Barriers to affordable housing prevent people from having a safe, secure place to call home. Consequently, too many people are forced to make trade-offs that jeopardize their financial, physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity (IVHFH) works to lower these barriers by partnering with households needing better housing to construct safe, decent homes.
Buying a Habitat home is a critical step toward a future of strength, stability, and independence, benefitting the entire household. A Habitat home and an affordable mortgage help homeowners save more, invest in education, build generational wealth, and pursue opportunity.
Future homeowners and volunteers work alongside our construction crew to build each home. Each adult homeowner must put in 250 hours of sweat equity volunteer hours. They do this by volunteering to build their home and the homes of others and working in the ReStore and the local Habitat office. Once a homeowner moves into their new home, they will pay monthly mortgage payments over a fixed-year term along with property taxes and homeowner insurance, creating self-reliance. IVHFH secures affordable financing for homebuyers to ensure their housing costs (loan principal, homeowner's insurance, and property taxes) do not exceed 30% of their household income.
Helping Hands Home Repairs: IVHFH works with the community to provide critical home repairs, accessibility modifications, emergency home repairs, and major appliance replacements so low-income residents can afford the maintenance and improvements they need to continue living safely in their homes. This includes projects like:
- Accessibility ramp installment
- Siding repair and replacement
- Grab bar installation
- Water heater repair and replacement
- Porch and stair repair
- Roof repair and replacement
- Appliance replacement
Iowa City ReStore: In addition to our building and repair projects, IVHFH operates a ReStore. The ReStore is a resale home-improvement store accepting donated building and housing materials. All donated items are sold to the public at a deeply discounted price. The ReStore benefits the community by providing access to affordable building supplies and home goods and diverting over 500 tons of waste from the landfill each year. ReStore sale proceeds are a critical and reliable source of income for IVHFH's housing services.
