Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs partners with hardworking families that are first time homebuyers right here in Pottawattamie and Mills Counties that want to realize the dream of homeownership, but may not qualify for a mortgage loan through conventional lenders. Becoming a Habitat homeowner requires commitment, responsibility and deep involvement.
In order to partner with us, you must meet the following preliminary criteria:
- You must be a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States.
- Your yearly income must fall within our income guidelines, which are adjusted for family size (refer to Income Table on the Selection Criteria page). Income includes wages, Social Security, disability, SSI, TANF and child support.
- You must be able to verify steady and consistent income for the past 2 years.
- We do not use a credit score to determine eligibility, we look more closely at payment history. If you do not have a credit history we can use alternate verification methods.
- If you have filed Bankruptcy, it must be discharged and show a minimum of 2 years of reestablished credit.
- You must have a need for housing because your current housing is unaffordable, unsafe, or overcrowded.
- You must partner with Habitat for Humanity and contribute "sweat equity," helping to build your home as well as other families' homes. There are a minimum of 3 required educational classes that all applicants must take that count towards your sweat equity. Other outside financial education classes are encouraged and may count toward your sweat equity.
If you meet these criteria, then please register for one of our required homeownership information sessions.
