How to Qualify

Qualification to become a Windy City Habitat Partner Homeowner is based on three criteria: need, willingness to partner and ability to pay.

Need

Need is determined by the applicants' current housing. Questions asked about current housing include:
  • Is the current housing substandard or unsafe, or in need of excessive repairs?
  • Is the current housing overcrowded? (This can be in regard to the size of your family specifically or the overall building/community in which you live.)
  • Is your current rent too high for your income?
  • Do you or a family member have accessibility issues at your current residence?
Willingness to Partner

Windy City Habitat prospective home owners are required to invest a minimum of 350 hours of "sweat equity" for each applicant, co-applicant and family member over 18 years of age who will reside in the house.

Ability to Pay

The applicants' ability to pay is assessed based on the following:
  • Applicant creditworthiness
  • Stability of family income
  • Applicant work record of several years
  • Applicant income must be between 40-65% of the area median income, depending on family size (the City of Chicago Area Median Income Chart can be viewed here: http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/area_median_incomeamichart.html
  • Applicant must have a manageable debt to income ratio
  • Applicant must be two years past discharge of bankruptcy
  • Applicant must have twelve months (one year) of rental history
Important additional information regarding the Partner Homeowner Program

If you are a current homeowner, you CANNOT qualify for this program. Windy City Habitat ONLY builds on property owned by Habitat and sells those homes with no profit or interest. Visit our current projects to see where we are building.

For information on applying for a home, click here.