Habitat for Humanity Success Goals
2012 Total Operating Budget: $6.1m
Habitat for Humanity In A Nutshell
What
Habitat for Humanity of Durham is a non-profit, Christian housing ministry that builds, repairs and sells decent, affordable and sustainable homes in partnership with people in need and communities that care.
Habitat sells homes at zero-percent interest to low-income families. These families by definition have inadequate shelter (unsound, overcrowded or unsafe) and do not qualify for traditional mortgages. The no-interest loan makes home ownership affordable for families earning as little as 25 percent of Durham’s median income. Community partners join Habitat to make construction possible.
Why
We weren’t immediately drawn to Durham Habitat for Humanity, especially not as one of the first organizations that we wanted to highlight. We had wanted to choose much more anonymous organizations to start. Organizations that Durham’s citizens might not otherwise have heard of and organizations that might best benefit from the awareness that we thought DurhamCares might lend. So it was with a bit of hesitation that we first met with Miguel Rubiera, Habitat’s Executive Director.
Any reservations that we had about Habitat were put aside in that first meeting however, and it became clear that Durham Habitat was a great choice for one of our first highlighted charities. While Durham Habitat is a name that many of us had heard, it is also an organization that espouses much of what we look for in organizations that we support: a strong track record, an emphasis on accountability and transparency and just as importantly, a clear sense of what they want to accomplish next year.
Habitat for Humanity's Program
Why We Build
The Research Triangle Area:
- North Carolina’s highest per-capita income
- The state’s most expensive rental market
- Average two-bedroom rental in Durham County is more than $800/mo
- Wage required to afford average rental is nearly $15/hr
- Federal minimum wage is $5.85/hr
Durham
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Lowest home-ownership rate in NC by more than 20 percentage points
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Supply gap of affordable rental units is more than 3,400
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Affordable rentals are generally unsound, unsafe or overcrowded
A Hand Up Through Home Ownership
- Families building equity
- Parents empowered to advance professionally
- Children excel academically
- College attendance is more likely
Community Investment
- Decreased crime rates in targeted neighborhoods
- Increased property values
- People of all backgrounds working side by side
- Community solutions to community problems
- Building futures and communities one home at a time
What We Build
- Affordable Homes
- Home buyers at 25-60 percent median income
- Zero-percent-interest mortgages
- Low monthly payments
- Low energy bills
Green Construction
- Energy Star partner through System Vision program
- Green certification through the Home Builders Association
- Heating and cooling costs guaranteed between $26 and $34/mo
- Hope Crossing is the first affordable green community in NC
- Solar-heated water in some homes
- Earth-friendly carpet and paint (low-VOC)
Special Projects
- Hope Crossing green community
- Historic preservation in the Golden Belt community downtown
- Multi-family housing in Southwest Central Durham
- New home repair program for elderly and disabled homeowners
How We Build
Donations
- Home sponsors, $5,000-$50,000 commitment
- Unrestricted contributions
- Gifts in kind (donated materials and labor)
- Habitat ReStore income used for home construction
Volunteers
- Home sponsor volunteers
- General construction volunteers (individuals and groups)
- AmeriCorps members
- Committees
- Office support
Community Partners
- City of Durham
- Duke University
- Durham Affordable Housing CoalitionDurham Housing Authority
- Genesis Home
- Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties
- Housing for New Hope
- Self-Help
- Southwest Central Durham Quality of Life Project
- Triangle Impact
- TROSA
Habitat for Humanity's Team
Mary Brown
Director of Family Services (‘98)
A Habitat institution since 1998, Mary serves Habitat as Director of Family Services. Mary shepherds families through the application and approval process and into their time as home buyers. “Miss Mary,” as she is known by Habitat families has closed on 141 homes since her work with Habitat began. Her professional background in consumer financing prepared her well for her role with Habitat, but she finds her work with new home buyers much more satisfying. “To see the expression on their faces when they’re given their keys is priceless.”
Bill Wismer
Director of Finance and Human Resources (‘05)
Bill Wismer joined Habitat’s “ministry that literally changes lives” in 1998. A retired Navy Supply Corps officer, Bill’s submarine logistics background helps with the coordination of all of Habitat’s financial operating systems - from mortgage lending to land transfer to payroll. Bill’s degrees in accounting and business administration help him run Habitat’s complex financial operations. He is literally the administrative glue for Habitat of Durham.
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