Habitat for Humanity, Altus Area INC.

It is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry that works both to eliminate poverty housing around the world and to make adequate housing a matter of conscience and action. People from all walks of life are invited to work in partnership to help build houses with people in need.

The need for decent housing in the United States and around the world is staggering. An estimated 25% of the world’s population –more than a billion people- live in poor housing or have no home at all. Families are trapped in a daily struggle to survive amid substandard, often inhuman, living conditions. Habitat is dedicated to the ideal that all people deserve a simple decent place to live on terms they can afford to pay.

The organization started in the United States in 1976, but today its work reaches around the world. Currently, more than 2,000 affiliates are in all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Territory of Guam and 75 other countries around the world.

Habitat houses are not given to anyone. Rather, the organization builds houses in partnership with people living in poverty, and then sells the house to the homeowner partner. Because of Habitat’s no-profit, no-interest loans, and because the houses are principally built with volunteer labor, mortgage payments are affordable for low-income partners.

Habitat builds houses with qualifying partners without regard to race or cultural background. The HFHI covenant signed and agreed to by all U.S. and international affiliates specifies that homeowners are selected "according to criteria that do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed or ethnic background."

Additionally, the US Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits denying anyone housing on the basis of race, sex creed, marital status, color or national origin.

Habitat for Humanity International was started in Americus, Ga, in 1976, by Millard Fuller, along with his wife Linda. Former U. S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalind (whose home is in Plains is just eight miles from Americus) are longtime supporters and volunteers. They have led the Jimmy Carter Work Project annually since 1984.

While Habitat for Humanity is a Christian organization, homeowners are chosen without regard to creed, both in keeping with the law and Habitat’s belief that God’s love extend to all- regardless of race, creed, gender or nationality.

Throughout the world, the cost of houses varies from as little as a few thousand dollars in some developing countries to an average of $46,000 in the United States. Habitat houses are affordable for low-income partners because there is no profit included in the sale price and no interest charged on the mortgage. In Jackson county Oklahoma we expect the cost to vary from approximately $38,000 for a two-bedroom/one bathroom home to approximately $50,000 for a four-bedroom/two bathroom home.

People needing adequate housing apply to their local Habitat affiliate. In Altus, Anyone interested in finding out about the applications may come to a monthly session:  The first Tues of the month from 5:30p to 6:30pm at the Rotary Center across the street from the High School Cafeteria.

They must attend an orientation session, fill out the application forms and if selected, donate 300 to 500 hours of sweat equity on their own or others houses. Sweat equity reduces the monetary cost of the house and increases the personal stake of family members in their home. This concept also fosters partnerships that cross-economic, racial and national divisions.