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Date: 5/18/2021
SPRINGFIELD/HOLYOKE – The Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity is currently accepting applications for a three-bedroom home to be built in Holyoke. Construction will begin this summer and the deadline to apply for the home is June 10.
According to Deborah O'Mara, family services manager at Habitat for Humanity, the home does not have a set location yet.
“We are working with the city to finalize the location of the property. So anyone who wants to apply for homeownership with our program needs to be comfortable with the fact that we will be building in Holyoke and it could be located pretty much anywhere we’re able to firm up a piece of property for this project,” she said.
Those interested in applying for the home must meet three criteria determined by Habitat for Humanity. The first is that the applicant must have a need for safe, decent and affordable housing. O’Mara said this is determined through the application and also by Habitat for Humanity paying a visit to where the selected family is currently living.
The applicant must also have an ability to pay a mortgage. Habitat for Humanity would be selling the applicant the house once it is finished so, according to O’Mara, they would be required to purchase it with low interest, no down payment and an affordable mortgage.
Thirdly, interested applicants must be willing to work with Habitat for Humanity on the construction of the Holyoke home and on other homes being built in Hampden County.
“You can look at it like their down payment for the home that they would be buying from Habitat. Instead of asking them to come up with a lot of cash, which a typical lender does, we do not ask that, we just ask them to give us their time and their energy to help build the house and that’s their investment,” said O’Mara.
There are also certain income eligibility requirements when it comes to Habitat for Humanity homes. O’Mara said the minimum and maximum income limits depend on the size of a particular family. For example, in order to be able to purchase a Habitat for Humanity home a family of four needs to have a household income of at least $29,500 and a maximum household income of $50,500.
“It makes sure that we’re targeting the lower income population in Hampden County who really can benefit from this type of an opportunity to get into a home of their own, which they probably wouldn't otherwise be able to do,” said O’Mara.
Further specific income guidelines are available on the Habitat for Humanity website.
The application for the three-bedroom Holyoke home can be found online at habitatspringfield.org. There is a video on the website which can give interested families information on how the Habitat for Humanity Program works. O’Mara said applications are also available through email and in person at their office on Cold Spring Avenue in West Springfield.