About Lake Chelan Valley Habitat for Humanity and Habitat Home Ownership

Lake Chelan Valley Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit housing organization, funded through corporate and private donations, grants and proceeds from the Habitat Store. We utilize skilled builder management, volunteer labor, and in some cases donated supplies and equipment to build safe, comfortable, and affordable homes. By partnering with us, future homeowners actively work on the construction of their own home funded by our organization.

Lake Chelan Valley Habitat for Humanity offers eligible and qualified buyers the opportunity to own a Habitat home. This is real homeownership. Habitat homeowners own their homes, pay an affordable monthly mortgage, pay property taxes and homeowner’s insurance, repair and maintain their homes, and most importantly, earn equity and build wealth.

The selection of Habitat Homeowners is not done by one person, rather it is completed by our Homeowner Selection Committee in a way that does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, handicap, religion, marital status, familial status or because all or part of the applicant’s income is derived from a public assistance program. All information is considered confidential and is only used for family selection purposes.

Applications for Habitat homes are only accepted during open application periods. We will announce the opening of an application phase on our social media accounts, our website and on Kozi radio. When an application period is open, applications will be available on our website and in the Habitat ReStore.

As we are currently completing construction on two homes at our Pumpkin Lane Development, we are not accepting new applications at this time. 

If you are in need of immediate need of housing or assistance, please reach out to Chelan Valley Hope (509) 888-2114.

Habitat Homebuyer Criteria

Please see the below for the application requirements and suggested documents to have ready for your application. If you have questions or are unsure if you meet any the application requirements, please contact our Executive Director, Michelle Fanton, at director@lakechelanhabitat.org or 509-888-1573.

Please be aware that Habitat ReStore staff are unable to answer questions regarding application or qualification for a Habitat for Humanity Home.

Criteria 1: Demonstrate a need for adequate and affordable housing

Applicants must not have owned a home for the past three years.

At least ONE of the following must be TRUE:

1. The applicant is “cost-burdened” (defined as spending more than 30% of their gross income on housing).
2. The applicant is living in substandard, overcrowded, run-down, defective, or unsafe housing.
3. The applicant is living in subsidized housing or a temporary housing situation (ex: living with family members).

Criteria 2: Demonstrate ability to pay

• Monthly debt payments (including loan and/or credit card payments) must be no more than 43% of an applicant’s monthly gross (pre-tax) income.
• Applicant cannot have a current open bankruptcy filing or any in the last two years.
• Applicant must have dependable income that can be verified for the last three years.
• Applicant must be approved by one of our mortgage partners for a home loan.

Criteria 3: Income eligibility

To be eligible for a Habitat home, your total household income must be below 80% of the area median income (table below). Household income guidelines are set by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and are updated each year. Please be aware that these guidelines change from year to year and calculations may vary. If you are unsure if you meet the income requirements, please complete and application and we will confirm whether or not your qualify. 

HOUSEHOLD INCOME LIMITATIONS

Additional criteria - Residency

• Applicant must currently live or work within the Lake Chelan Valley (within the boundaries of the Lake Chelan and/or Manson School Districts).
• Applicant must be a citizen or have an ITIN number at the time of application.
• Applicant must use the home as their primary residence.

Willingness To partner

Applicants must be willing to up to 500 hours of “sweat equity.” Sweat equity is Habitat’s term for the labor that Habitat homeowners put into building their homes and the homes of their Habitat neighbors.

Households can complete their hours on our construction sites, in our Habitat Store, through homeowner education classes, and/or by volunteering in our office. We can accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

In preparation for your application, it is helpful to make sure you have the following documents available. Please be aware that all persons over the age of 18 who will be living in the household are required to include their income, expenses, assets, and debts on their application if their income is included in the application.

• Photo IDs for applicant and co-applicant
• Two (2) most recent years Federal Tax Returns for all applicants (complete tax returns including signature and all schedules and attachments).
• Two (2) months bank statements for all checking and savings accounts (including all pages showing statement period, beginning, and ending balance).
• Three (3) most recent, consecutive pay stubs for everyone over 18 who is employed.
• Statements from applicable agencies for all other family income (ex. TANF, alimony, child support, social security, SSI, disability).
• Address and telephone number of landlord(s) for the past 3 years
• A listing and amounts of any assets or debts due (ex. loans, alimony, child support, credit cards, medical debt).
• Proof of US Citizenship or legal residency for all applicants. Acceptable documents include a U.S. Passport, Birth Certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, or Permanent Residency Card.

Other information

In addition to the documents above, applicants may also be asked to provide the following during the application process.

• Attend a Homeownership Program orientation session to learn about program requirements, the homes we build, where we are building and what it takes to qualify. Orientations take about an hour and will be available throughout the year in both English and Spanish. We recommend that you attend an orientation within one year or submitting your application.
• Selected applicants will be asked to complete a credit authorization.
• Selected applicants will be subject to a criminal background check and must be able to pass a sex offender registry check.

Equal Housing Opportunity

Lake Chelan Valley Habitat for Humanity is an equal opportunity housing provider pledged to provide a program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.