Habitat For Humanity: A Case Study

That is why I choose to get involved with Habitat for Humanity. “We build because we believe that everyone, everywhere, should have a healthy, affordable place to call home.” That is one of their beliefs, which is why I want to be working with Habitat.

I come from a small rural town nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. My hometown is split down the middle by a set of railroad tracks. On the north side, one can find pristine neighborhoods, newer schools, most doctors’ offices, and the only hospital in town. The south side of the town stands as a stark contrast. On the south side, you no longer find the wealthy neighborhoods but rather dilapidated and condemned homes and housing projects. One seems to find abandoned buildings on every corner, many inhabited by those that have lost their homes. Limited help is coming for those who need it, mostly through churches and volunteer programs targeting the underserved. Many doctors, dentists, and nurses are giving their time and resources to help

One of the simplest pieces of knowledge we acquire in elementary school (for future growth and development) are the three basic needs a living organism requires for living: food, water, and shelter. However, not everyone has access to all of these essentials. Homeless people are faced with awful conditions and suffer more due to poor weather conditions, diseases, and lack of safety. There hasn’t been much progress on this issue, and if this continues, the number of homeless people will only increase. In a few states the topic is being named as a “statewide emergency”, but unfortunately this problem is national. Instead of focusing on state programs, local programs and non-profit organizations to fix the housing issue, we must all contribute to ending this epidemic. The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) released an article stating, “In January 2015, 564,708 people were homeless on a given night in the United States” (Snapshot of Homelessness). We must develop a solution to end long term homelessness immediately. The best way of solving this issue is to provide stable long-term housing, which is a term used to describe the home’s environment and financial status.

Bradfords Helping Home is a Shelter that will help the families and youth of Starke Florida who are experiencing homelessness. Homelessness is a growing concern in our society today and not just in Starke. In The United States on any given night, there are approximately 643,067 people experiencing homelessness. In Bradford county there are approximately 6.9% of only the student population and not the adults of the community experiencing homelessness. This may not seem like a very large number but it is. These numbers should never be allowed to get this high. This is a growing concern in Starke as we are getting at least two to three new students who are considered homeless and put under the McKinney-Vento Act. “The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. McKinney-Vento provides federal funding to states for the purpose of supporting district programs that serve homeless students” ( With my mother being the McKinny-Vinto liaison in Bradford county I have learned of how serious this problem is. I would like to be able to support these children, youth, and families in helping them get back up on their feet and to be able to have a place to go if they are experiencing homelessness.

Charity Productions in partnership with the College of Architecture’s Texas Target Communities Program at Texas A&M University have collaborated together to develop a set of solutions in response to the pre-existing neighborhood conditions throughout Harris County in Houston, Texas. The conditions of these particular neighborhoods have created a pattern of disparities throughout Harris County to be recognized as constraints to residents in impeding their ability to become affluent members of society. Texas Target Communities and Charity Productions have taken a step further to not only provide an analysis of evidence for these disparities but to identify the assets present in these communities to formulate feasible and cost effective solutions.

In many rural, resource-based communities, this population is not on wait lists for low-income housing. They are not receiving subsidized rent or qualify for other income dependent benefits. This population is not homeless because they are experiencing poverty, unemployment, poor physical or mental health, addiction,

Family Promise of Summit County is an emergency hope center for homeless families with children. Family Promise began in 2004 when community leaders saw the desperate need for families with children to find a shelter where they could stay together. These leaders set to work by researching the necessary human and financial resources to create the Interfaith Hospitality Network, now Family Promise of Summit County. While many programs must separate children from their families during a homeless crisis, their mission is to help families with children stay together while they achieve sustainable independence (Family Promise of Summit County). Their vision is as follows: “To Keep Families Together, to alleviate the trauma of homelessness and assist families in securing a stable home environment” (Family Promise of Summit County).

Another problem Diana states is that these organizations try to show us that poverty is “visible and recognizable” (pg245). For example, the nonprofit organization Habitat for Humanity’s” purpose is to find applicants who demonstrate that they are poor and are in need of an adequate house. However, some people might not consider themselves to be poor or a “deserving” candidate for this program. As a result it can be hard for this organization to find people who meet their requirements. For example, Diana George talked to “A young black woman who was receiving state aid, and she did not want to be identified as poor” (George 244). The young woman also had household items such as

Homelessness is an arising problem within the United States. Poverty and homelessness are inheritably linked. As children we were raised to believe that through hard work and determination that we could accomplish anything. We all had dreams of having nice cars, a nice home and lots of money, however this is impossible when a person is living pay check to pay check and close to being homeless. Knowing that we live in the “land of opportunity” brings many dreams to anyone’s mind, however, many families are experiencing financial issues that are causing them to become homeless because they cannot afford to live and pay their bills, food, child care, health care and education (National Coalition of the homeless, 2007). Homelessness in America is persistent, complex and widely-occurring problem that incorporates many economic, social and psychological dimensions (National Coalition of the homeless, 2007). With the shortage of affordable rental property is causing the increasing number of poverty families. Homelessness doesn’t only affect an adult but it does affect many children. In America, 3.5 million Americans are homeless each year. However, of these Americans that are homeless children make up more than 1 million people who are homeless (Home Aid America , n.d.). With children and many families that are homeless, veterans, and domestic

I had gotten into contact with Habitat for Humanity it is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry. The Detroit location was founded in 1986 and has provided 400 families with a more stable home environment, moving families out of substandard poor quality living conditions (Habitat for Humanity, 2016). What habitat does is simply build or renovate existing homes partnering with individuals in need to assist them from being left homeless due to natural disasters, poverty also who faces terrible housing situations such as evictions as families struggle to gain some form of independence back (Habitat for Humanity, 2016). Essentially Habitat for humanity offers individuals and families (single mother and 2 parent) a second chance at home ownership. To qualify for this program the persons must display a need for housing, they have to establish proof of living in overcrowded conditions, the lost previous home due to non-payment of mortgages and not being eligible for homeownership. Homeowners must be employed and earn annual wages in excess of $22,000, however the minimum level of income will increase with the size of the family. The candidate cannot have any delinquent debit that exceeds over $1500, this excludes any medical and educational expenses and finally candidates have to invest 250 to 350 hours on building their perspective home and a down payment of $2000 (Habitat for Humanity, 2016). This seems like a good incentive for helping low income families,

Habitat for Humanity is a good example of a nonprofit organization that through its volunteer gathering and fundraising attempts may actually be hindering more of the people they are trying to help than actually helping them.(679,680) Habitat’s marketing gives the idea that a person in poverty that needs help wear dirty torn clothes and live in run down shack will have no home at all.(679) The idea is to put these perceptions of poverty into people’s minds in hopes that it will elicit the good in them to not only give their money but their time.(680) The problem is this gives the public the idea that poverty has one face and does not provide them with a picture of what the full spectrum of poverty looks like.(682) Another problem is, these ads perpetuate the idea that poverty is an individual issue that’s easy to spot and just as easy to fix with a little money and volunteer

When placing my life into the context of the world around me, it can be rather difficult to examine upon the struggles I’ve had upon my life. Particularly profound instances have scarred me to a certain degree, and for quite a while I’ve maintained an unhealthy manner of total repression from these happenings. However, as I move forward in my journey in life, battling to ward off the demons which have infiltrated my psyche since my youthful days, I hold the knowledge that I am not alone, and there are always people that care for me and my well being. This is where Affordable Housing has emaciating themselves in my heart forever. Without Affordable Housing, there is a fantastic chance that I am not the same happy, hard-working individual that I am today, and for that, I will forever be indebted to Affordable Housing. The impact

The United States Census Bureau reports that, in 2015, 13.5% of Americans lived below the poverty line (Proctor, Semega, & Kollar, 2016). The negative effects of poverty are well documented and can have a widespread effect on the lives of those individuals who are affected. They are more likely to experience income and food insecurity, chronic health conditions, and lower quality education than wealthier Americans (United States Government Accountability Office, 2007). Additionally, and more importantly to the purposes of this report, the poor are more likely to experience homelessness or live in inadequate housing. The National Alliance to End Homelessness (2016) estimates that over 500 thousand people were homeless on any given night in 2015. The federal government, recognizing this issue exists, has responded by allocating “50 billion in housing assistance specifically designated for low-income households” (CBO, p.1) in 2014, which was used to assist nearly five million households through various programs (CBPP, p.1). The housing voucher program, which accounted for the largest percentage, provides families with subsidized housing, while allowing them to choose where they live, provided the housing meets certain health and safety thresholds set by local public housing agencies (HUD, Housing Choice). Despite access to

This was not always the case, however. America’s public housing projects did not start out as the looming fortresses of concentrated violence and poverty they would eventually become, but as temporary housing relief for the nation’s transient poor—a place for struggling Americans to live until they could get back on their feet. Contrary to what they would eventually become, public housing projects in the years immediately following their construction were viewed as excellent places to live—paradises, almost—and inspired pride among those who resided in them and envy in those who did not.

Response: Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Habitat for Humanity believe that everyone deserves a