Mortgage payments, including rates and insurance, are set at a level that each family can afford. Habitat is not a give away programme, but is a partnership in which those who benefit from the housing ministry are involved in the work at various levels. This allows homeowners to work along side other volunteers, increasing the pride of ownership among family members and fostering the development of positive relationships within the community. Families apply to local Habitat affiliates. A family selection committee chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners with Habitat and their ability to repay the loan.
Every project follows a non-discriminatory policy of family selection.
Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families to become Habitat homeowners. Each purchasing family signs a sale and purchase agreement with Habitat for the fair market value of their home. This price, less any deposit, is satisfied by a Habitat mortgage, which is in two parts. Habitat's commitment to gift the equity sum may be suspended or canceled completely if there are serious breaches of the homeowner's obligations under the mortgage. Internationally, an ecumenical board of 26 people meet three times a year to determine policy and monitor operations.