Costs of homes differ relative to location, labor, land, and materials. Small monthly mortgage payments, including taxes and insurance are repaid over an average of 20 years and deposited into a revolving account which supports the construction of more houses. This reduces the cost of the house, increases the pride of ownership among family members, and fosters the development of positive relationships with other persons. Families apply to local Habitat projects. A family selection committee chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program, 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 receive Habitat houses. Habitat for Humanity is growing rapidly. There are over 600 affiliated projects in the United States and more than 100 other projects in 30 other countries. From its beginnings in 1976 until the summer of 1994, over 30,000 homes have been built by the Habitat ministry. Habitat does not accept government money for construction of new houses, renovation or repair of existing houses, or the general operating expenses of projects.