Habitat for Humanity Kerr County

Organized 1989 by Burly Burleson, Maud Jennings, Rev Bill Blackburn
Habitat for Humanity Kerr County is a non-profit construction company and mortgage company with a mission to provide affordable homeownership with a ‘hand up, not a hand out’ model of service.
Low income families (40 to 60% of the county median income) complete a formal application process. Upon acceptance into the program each signs a partnership agreement to provide sweat equity hours, $1600 toward closing fees, and attend mandatory pre-ownership classes. Upon completion of their partnership a home is purchased (for the cost to construct) and the debt repaid over twenty to thirty years, interest free (0%).
Habitat Kerr carries the mortgage for the life of the loan. Payments include property tax and hazard insurance escrows.
To date 94 homes have been constructed and sold
House 95 will be completed and sold in Oct 2014
House 96 construction will commence in Sept 2014 (slab has been poured)
Maud Jennings Subdivision is currently the construction focus with a total of 39 homes planned. 11 homes have been constructed or are under construction (1 for an office/model).
Phase I (20 homes total) will be complete midway thru the 2016-17 construction season
Phase II-anticipated home construction to begin 2017. Nineteen total homes planned.
Anticipated completion of subdivision (at current build rate of 4.5/year) will be during 2020.
Board of Directors set policy. Staff executes policy and conducts day to day operation.
Staff consists of an Executive Director, Asst. Executive Director, Construction Mgr. (10 mo/year) and Site Supervisor (10 mo/yr).
Habitat ReStore supports the mission of Habitat with retail sales. Staff consists of five part time employees, one of which is the Store Manager, Linda Garcia. The store is open Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Funds to support the mission come from donations, mortgage payments by current homeowners (72 active mortgages), ReStore Sales, grants and non-monetary donations.
Habitat Kerr, and the families that own and pay for their homes, support the local economy. Families contribute via increased disposable income (mortgage payments are most often less than the rent families paid prior to ownership) and become fully vested tax-paying citizens. With the average property tax of $1800 / home, this represents substantial city, school district, and county taxes. Habitat Kerr’s tangible contribution includes the purchasing of building materials from local vendors as well as staff salaries, and the less quantifiable impact of creating new quality-constructed homes to the local housing inventory.