MILT THOMAS
Some misconceptions continue to exist regarding the Habitat for Humanity’s home ownership program and executive director Andy Bowler has written an information sheet to clarify this important and successful program. Key points are presented below:
Mission Statement:
Seeking to put God’s love into action, Indian River Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.
How does it work?
Habitat’s Family Selection Committee chooses families from a pool of applicants based on the following criteria:
Need for simple, decent affordable housing
Ability to pay for and maintain a house
Desire to partner with Habitat by showing willingness and ability to complete 300-500 Sweat Equity hours, working on their own house, as well as other Habitat projects
Willingness to complete all the mandatory educational classes provided to help equip home buyers for home ownership
Habitat houses are built with financial contributions from our very generous community, along with grants, proceeds from the Habitat Home Center ReStore and the mortgage payments of existing homeowners.
Ownership facts:
When a house is completed and the home buyer has finished their Sweat Equity and educational requirements, the house and the lot the house is located on are sold to the home buyer. Habitat does not retain any interest in the house or the land it is located on. Indian River Habitat does not utilize land trusts. A warranty deed is issued and recorded at the Indian River County Courthouse and the sale is duly noted in the Property Appraiser website.
In addition, the home buyer is free to sell the property at any time, and, on their demise, bequeath it to whomever they please.
The Habitat program is a “Hand up program, not a Hand out program.” It relies on partnerships between staff, home buyers, homeowners, donors and volunteers to help the working poor of our community attain home ownership and the hope for a brighter future.
For more information regarding the Habitat program, reference our website at irchabitat.org, or contact Andy Bowler at (772) 562-9860 X 208.
Indian River Guardian 
Habitat for Humanity appears to be a valuable resource for this county – helping those who are willing to work the opportunity to have their own “home sweet home”……and their center is such a fine “recycling of materials” and merchandise place. Everyone involved deserves 3 attaboys.
It seems Habitat for Humanity don’t build their homes in random spots. They own 51 of 52 lots in a sub-division in the Oslo Park area between 20th and 24th Aves SW and 11th and 12th St SW. The roads were constructed a few years ago and then development stopped.