Family Selection Qualifications

Individuals or families are chosen by Habitat’s Board of Directors based upon recommendation of the Family Selection Committee, which is outlined in detail on the Family Selection Process page. 

The decision is based on the following:

• RESIDENCY
• NEED
• ABILITY TO PAY
• WILLINGNESS TO PARTNER

In order to qualify for homeownership through Habitat, applicants must have lived OR worked in Buncombe County for the last 12 months.

Applicants must also be citizens of the United States or legal residents.

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Each applicant must demonstrate adequate need for shelter and not be able to qualify for a conventional bank loan.  Housing with the following characteristics is considered inadequate:

• Unsafe Structure
• Unsanitary Conditions (other than self-imposed)
• Unsafe neighborhood environment
• Overcrowded Conditions
• Unaffordable   
• Inaccessible

Applicants must have a steady source of income and be able to demonstrate financial responsibility.  

Income:   Gross family income needs to be within the following guidelines:
Income includes gross wages, tips, alimony, regular child support, Work First, Social Security, SSI, and any other form of cash payment.  Income must be secure for three years.  Non-cash payments such as Food Stamps, WIC, and Section 8 rent support are recorded but not included as income.

Credit:   Applicants must have and maintain good credit.  A credit report will be pulled during the family selection process.  Debts on collection or judgments may be grounds for rejecting applicants.  All applicants have the opportunity to work on their credit, resolve credit issues, and gain access to community resources to assist them with understanding debt, formulating payback plans, and developing budgets.  

The amount of money being spent each month paying on debt will also be considered.  This includes items such as credit cards, student loans, car payments, and consolidated loans. 

Asheville Area Habitat For Humanity, Inc. is in compliance with the Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act.  This act prohibits creditors from discriminating against credit applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age (provided the applicant has the capacity to enter into a binding contract); because all or part of the applicant’s income derives from a public assistance program; or because the applicant has in good faith exercised any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.

Work History:  Applicants must be employed for six months with the same employer during the application process.  Applicants must have a steady two-year work history with no more than a two-month gap in employment during the two-year period.  The two-year work history may include school attendance or major medical occurrences.


Rental History:  Applicants must have lived on their own (with excellent/satisfactory rental history) for at least one full year within the past three years, or applicants living with parent (s) or friend (s) must have verifiable rent payments.

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Applicants must fully participate in a timely fashion in the application process, attend a Homebuyer Education Classes, work with the sponsoring organization, participate in program publicity, and complete the required Sweat Equity hours. 

Sweat Equity:  All applicants who are approved for partnership must be willing to invest a minimum of 200 hours of the family’s time in the building of the home.  Hours can be completed at the construction site or Home Store and are coordinated through the Habitat volunteer coordinator.  Special projects and events may also arise in which Sweat Equity hours can be performed.

Adults 21 and older that will live in the house are each assigned 200 hours of Sweat Equity.

Children 16 to 21 that will live in the house are each assigned 50 hours of Sweat Equity.

Any member of the partner family who will reside in the house and is 16 years of age or older may fulfill the Sweat Equity requirements for the family.

The partner family is required to perform 40 of their assigned Sweat Equity hours at the construction site.  At least 20 of those hours must be completed on their own home.

Required Documents:  Applicants must also be able to provide the required documents at the time of the full application interview.

• Birth certificates or immigration documents
• Driver’s licenses for all family drivers
• Social Security cards for all family members
• Last 4 payroll check stubs for all workers in the family (or Social Security letters)
• Rent receipts or lease documents
• List of all debts including balances and monthly payments
• Last three months of all bank statements
• Last two filed IRS 1040 tax forms
• List of three references (not employers or relatives)
• Letter explaining why you want a Habitat home

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract.  In selecting homeowners, AAHH does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation or age.

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