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.
