Through shelter, we empower

Our Impact

Housing is a catalyst. A decent home provides the space and stability to be healthy and resilient, and to build a life- whether that’s creating community, raising a family, or building generational wealth. Together, with volunteers, donors and advocates, Asheville Habitat has been building home, communities and hope for more than four decades. Thousands of adults and children are thriving on the foundation of a stable, affordable home, with the impact positively impacting generations to come.

43,502

hours of volunteer service in 2024

2,451

tons of usable material diverted from landfills in 2024

2,100+

adults and children served since 1983

1,765

donors gave generously in 2024

1,341

volunteers in 2024

$398,980

paid in property taxes by Habitat homeowners in 2024

Success Stories

Stability

The Angel’s story

“We’re excited to have a home to finally start living, instead of just surviving,” Danyelle said.
Danyelle and Logan Angel are both born and raised Ashevillians, and they first met when they were children. Logan earns a fair wage as a medical assistant at the VA Medical Center, but affordable rentals in Asheville are far and few between. For seven years the couple tried to buy a home on the traditional market, but couldn’t compete in Asheville’s hot housing market. Craving a stable place to set down roots for their three children, Danyelle and Logan found Habitat. The Angel’s purchased a 4- bedroom, 2-bathroom single family home in a neighborhood of 12 homes in Candler, on Habitat’s Curry Court. Logan and Danyelle will be able to provide their children with a safe neighborhood, while having the peace of mind and stability that affordable homeownership will offer.

Affordability

Belinda’s story

“It would mean so much to me to own a Habitat home. To pay a mortgage instead of renting, and having a place to grow old in.”

~from Belinda Finley’s application letter

When Belinda began working as a Systems Courier for Mission Hospital in 1999, her modest one-bedroom apartment was adequate for her and her 2-year old son. Making the most of the space, Belinda turned a converted carport into a makeshift second bedroom, using a sheet for a door.

Through the years, Belinda watched her electric bill increase exponentially. When the air turns crisp and the leaves turn red, she prepares for the worst, as fall marks the return of the $400/month electric bill.

As a Habitat homeowner, Belinda said good-bye to the exorbitant electric bill, and hello to a bedroom with a door! Belinda’s 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom townhome in Candler is certified energy-efficient through System Vision. Their low-cost guarantee means that her heating and cooling cost will not exceed $35/month. Belinda now has the stability of an affordable mortgage and heating and cooling cost.

Safety

Carolyn’s story

Carolyn knew it was time to do something about her floor when she had to move heavy furniture off of it and avoid walking on it altogether. Fearful she would fall through and injure herself, she turned to Asheville Habitat’s Home Repair program. She was no stranger to Habitat because Carolyn served as a ReStore volunteer for four years.

Carolyn’s family home was built in the 1940s, and like many older homes, water damage is a problem. Water damage caused the floor and wall to rot, creating an unsafe living situation.

The Home Repair team rebuilt the 16′ x 14′ section of flooring system in the living room where the framing was failing from water damage. This included removing the existing flooring and subflooring, installing new floor framing and support posts, and installing subflooring. The team also repaired exterior walls, bathroom plumbing and repaired the bathroom floor.

Now with stable flooring, Carolyn feels safe knowing that she can walk across her floor and put furniture on it without fear of injury.

Where we build – locally

Asheville Habitat has built and repaired homes across Buncombe County since 1983. See map below.

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Where we build – globally

We have tithed more than $1 million to Habitats in other areas of the world, in support of the global mission! In addition to sending tithe dollars, we coordinate Global Village (GV) Trips to work with affiliates in other countries. Asheville Habitat has also supported Habitat for Humanity’s disaster relief efforts, domestically and internationally. Our current global engagement partners are below.

Guatemala

Habitat Guatemala is a long-time partner and we have organized multiple Global Village trips there over the years. Habitat’s work in Guatemala includes new house construction, housing improvements, smokeless stoves, sanitary latrines, water filters, cement floors, and more. Meet some of the families who have partnered with Habitat Guatemala to improve their living situation in this video.

Orphans & Vulnerable Groups

By directing some of our tithe to this special Habitat for Humanity fund, we are able to support some of the world’s neediest people including the Rishipara communities in Bangladesh and families with children with Microcephaly in Brazil. Learn more about this important work in The Orphans and Vulnerable Groups Fund FY 2021 report.

Ethiopia

Habitat Ethiopia is one of our newer global engagement partners. We took a Global Village Trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February 2020, just before the global pandemic halted all travel. In addition to building and repairing homes for vulnerable populations, Habitat in Ethiopia has an extensive and much needed WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) program. For example, Habitat Ethiopia works to create access to potable water for women and children who travel up to 3 hour to fetch water for their families (photo above).

Read their FY2023 Annual Report.

Kenya

Habitat Kenya is our newest global engagement partner and they have been operating since 1982. An Integrated Systems Approach is used in Kenya, meaning they considers housing as a long-term, incremental process that addressed not only construction but also water, sanitation, energy access, land tenure, and policy change. They currently work in Homa Bay, Laikipia, Kisumu, Tana River, Makueni, and Machakos Counties.

Ukraine Emergency Response

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Habitat for Humanity teams have been on the ground in neighboring countries responding to the refugee crisis. We are grateful to all the ReStore shoppers who chose to Round Up at the registers to help Ukraine refugees and the generous donors who responded to our appeal for support. Together, we raised $13,000+. Watch this video to see how your gifts are being used by Habitat for Humanity to help displaced families with shelter and other emergency needs.

Benefits of Homeownership

Homeownership has been proven to increase graduation rates, improve children’s good health, and grow families’ net wealth as well as decrease behavioral problems in children and reduce asthma. Learn more about the benefits of homeownership.

Advancing Black Homeownership

Asheville Habitat recognizes that racial disparities in homeownership are a reflection of centuries of racial discrimination. We join other Habitat affiliates in in the Advancing Black Homeownership Initiative aimed at eliminating the racial homeownership gap. Read our report about the history of housing discrimination here in Asheville and the impacts Habitat’s homeownership program has had on Black residents.

Annual Report & Financials

The Habitat business model is one of financial sustainability. Thanks to significant volunteer support, construction costs are kept low and Habitat is able to sell new houses to qualified families at no-profit. Homeowners pay an affordable mortgage and that revenue goes right back into our building program budget. Mortgage payments, along with proceeds from ReStore sales, account for approximately 20-25% of the revenue we need to acquire and develop land, build new houses, and repair existing homes. We also depend on the generosity of individuals, businesses, faith communities, foundations and government funding sources to successfully carry out our capital-intensive work.

Through shelter, we empower