Our Programs
Partnering with families to build strength, stability, and self-reliance.
Building affordable homes, strengthening communities
At Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Salt Lake Area, we believe that everyone deserves a decent place to live. We partner with families, volunteers, and donors to build or improve places people can call home. Our mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope.
The Path to Homeownership
Qualified Habitat homebuyers are active participants in building a better future. They are identified by three key criteria:
- • In need of better housing: Dealing with poorly made, unhealthy, or unaffordable housing, or homes inaccessible for disabilities.
- • Able to pay an affordable mortgage: Mortgage payments cycle back into the community to help build more affordable houses.
- • Willing to partner: Homebuyers put in hundreds of hours of "sweat equity" and attend classes on personal finance and maintenance.
What makes a Habitat home affordable?
Our unique approach ensures that Habitat homes remain affordable for working families along the Wasatch Front:
1. Modest, well-designed homes
We build simple, decent homes that meet essential needs while keeping long-term maintenance costs low.
2. Lower long-term costs
Energy-efficient designs reduce utility bills, and our no-profit pricing ensures families pay only the actual cost of the home.
3. Affordable mortgages
Habitat homeowners pay an affordable mortgage, which is cycled back into the community to help build more homes.
4. Community-powered construction
We rely on volunteers and donated materials to keep costs low, fostering community connection at every build site.
Sweat Equity: investing in the future
Habitat for Humanity is a partnership, not a giveaway. Every adult homebuyer contributes 225 hours of sweat equity:
- Building their own home and the homes of their neighbors.
- Participating in the STEP program to support fellow homeowners.
- Volunteering in our Habitat ReStore home improvement centers.
- Attending financial literacy and home maintenance classes.
Who qualifies for a Habitat Home?
We follow fair and transparent selection criteria based on three main pillars:
- Need for safe, affordable housing: Applicants may be experiencing overcrowding or unsafe conditions.
- Ability to pay: Homeowners must have a stable income to pay their affordable mortgage.
- Willingness to partner: Applicants must complete the required sweat equity and education.
help us build homes, communities, and hope
community resource list
At Habitat for Humanity, we believe everyone deserves a decent place to live. To support our partners and neighbors, we have compiled a comprehensive list of community resources to help build strength, stability, and self-reliance.
This list includes local services and organizations dedicated to improving housing conditions and providing essential support for families in our community.
Be Part of Something Bigger
Build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter.
Habitat for Humanity Greater Salt Lake Area invites you to join a future Global Village Service Trip. These immersive experiences are your chance to build homes and improve infrastructure alongside local families while experiencing the heart of service firsthand.
🌍 RECENT TRIP UPDATE: Read reflections from our March 2026 journey to Kenya.
Why Join a Global Village Trip?
What’s Included
- Lodging in the service region
- Local ground transportation
- Daily meals and clean water
- Project supplies and materials
What’s Not Included
- International airfare
- Passport and visa fees
- Personal expenses
Start Your Journey Today
Spaces fill up quickly! Fill out the interest form to be notified of our next destination.
At Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Salt Lake Area, we believe in putting love into action by offering people and the everyday essentials they rely on a fresh start. Through our ReStore, we work alongside the Wasatch Front community to ensure that dignity, stability, and hope take root—starting with the basics and growing toward a safe, stable home.
Supporting People through Habitat Cares
Street Outreach and Essential Supplies
Habitat Cares is our vital outreach program meeting the urgent needs of neighbors experiencing homelessness. By repurposing donations of non-perishable food, hygiene products, warm clothing, and camping supplies, we provide immediate relief. These essentials are distributed through local service agencies that provide direct street outreach, ensuring no neighbor is forgotten in the daily struggle to stay warm, fed, and safe.
2026 Impact:
$500,000+
In basic necessities channeled annually to outreach partners.
Partnering for Maximum Impact
We collaborate with more than 26 local nonprofits—including The Road Home and the Fourth Street Clinic—to steward donated goods. Major retailers frequently liquidate inventory through our ReStore, allowing us to quickly convert surplus into lifelines for outreach teams and the people they serve.
Stepping into Sustainable Homeownership
Habitat Cares also walks alongside those transitioning out of crisis. We provide home furnishings and household supplies to individuals moving into stable housing after domestic violence, homelessness, or incarceration. A furnished home—a real bed, a kitchen table, dishes in the cupboard—transforms an empty unit into a place of safety and belonging, helping neighbors rebuild their lives with dignity.
Community, Connection, and Respite
Located near downtown Salt Lake City, our ReStore offers more than material support; it is a place of daytime respite from the elements. Within this network of care, Habitat Cares ensures that our neighbors are not defined by their crisis, but seen as partners whose futures hold limitless possibility.
Giving Things a New Life
Refurbishing Appliances & Diverting Waste
Instead of sending appliances to the landfill, our neighbors donate them to the ReStore. Our dedicated team refurbishes washers, dryers, and refrigerators, keeping thousands of tons of reusable material out of local landfills. Every item is thoroughly tested and comes with a 30-day warranty, providing families with reliable, affordable options while funding our mission to build homes and hope.
Affordable Building Materials
Contractors and vendors donate excess inventory, giving high-quality products a second chance to improve a home. From windows and fixtures to our famous $20 toilets, these materials stretch household budgets and support sustainable development. By shopping or donating, you help us reduce waste and increase access to affordable home repairs along the Wasatch Front.
Free Community Book Exchange
The ReStore is home to a free library filled with imagination and learning. Customers may take up to five books per visit, and children are always welcome to sit and read while their families shop. Every day, we see kids doing homework or exploring new worlds in this cozy corner. It’s a powerful reminder that restoration is about more than buildings—it’s about the sense of possibility that grows when a community comes together.
VISIT THE RESTORE
