General Homeownership Requirements
Below are baseline requirements for applying for homeownership with Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco--each available home may have different or additional requirements. Please check each listing for any variances.
Applicants must meet these general requirements:
Residency
- Household must have lived together consistently for 12 months.
- Wage earners who are legal permanent residents, or U.S. citizens.
First-Time Homebuyer
- Must not have owned or co-owned real estate in the last 3 years.
Credit
- Applicants must have consistent on-time credit payments.
Income
- Income must meet HUD requirements of 40-60 percent of the median gross annual income for households of comparable size, based on the county in which the home is located:
| |
Marin |
San Francisco |
San Mateo |
| Family of 1 |
$28,350 to $42,500 |
$28,350 to $42,500 |
$28,350 to $42,500 |
| Family of 2 |
$32,400 to $48,550 |
$32,400 to $48,550 |
$32,400 to $48,550 |
| Family of 3 |
$36,450 to $54,650 |
$36,450 to $54,650 |
$36,450 to $54,650 |
| Family of 4 |
$40,500 to $60,700 |
$40,500 to $60,700 |
$40,500 to $60,700 |
| Family of 5 |
$43,700 to $65,600 |
$43,700 to $65,600 |
$43,700 to $65,600 |
| Family of 6 |
$46,950 to $70,450 |
$46,950 to $70,450 |
$46,950 to $70,450 |
| Family of 7 |
$50,200 to $75,300 |
$50,200 to $75,300 |
$50,200 to $75,300 |
| Family of 8 |
$53,450 to $80,150 |
$53,450 to $80,150 |
$53,450 to $80,150 |
Applicants are evaluated based on three main areas:
Need for Housing
- Currently living in inadequate housing conditions, which are substandard, overcrowded, unsafe, or are paying rent too high in relation to monthly income.
Ability to Pay
- Can demonstrate a history of regular income.
- Ability to make monthly payments on a no-interest mortgage, property taxes and insurance.
Willingness to Partner
- Must fulfill "sweat equity" commitment by contributing 500 volunteer hours towards the mission of Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, most of which is in the construction of the home.
- Be responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the home from the time of move in.
- Must be willing to show your support at events for Habitat developments and on occasion speak on behalf of Habitat and homeownership.
Habitat Greater San Francisco is able to provide the application, notices, sales documents and other materials in English. We encourage families from all backgrounds to apply. Habitat assigns all selected families with family support volunteers, and we do our very best to align bi-lingual volunteers with non-English speaking families.