Applications reveal family stories

Habitat for Humanity’s new development at Whitney Young Circle in San Francisco produced four times more applications than homes available. Selecting families for the Habitat program is a lengthy process that is both technical and painstaking, but highly rewarding. Vetting applications involves an in-house income review, checks for credit-worthiness and acceptable debt-to-income ratio from Habitat’s partner bank, a home interview, and finally a discussion by Habitat’s family selection committee, including a group of trained volunteers.

At each step of the way families are objectively screened. Those eligible to move forward in the process are celebrated. Each application tells the story of an amazing family—parents who are working two and three jobs to make ends meet; new United States citizens who want to work hard to provide stability and education for their children; single parents who find themselves overwhelmed by the sudden death of a cherished spouse.

Habitat sees bank accounts that are reduced to ten dollars at the end of every month, people who are afraid to let their landlords know they are wanting to move on, parents who are trying to overcome earlier difficulties and obstacles.

When a Habitat staff member holds an application in her hands, she knows how much effort and hope went into it. The family selection process for the Whitney Young development will draw to a conclusion this spring and Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco looks forward to introducing its newest partner families.