FAQ: How does Habitat for Humanity Work?
HFHNC finds property, builds homes then sells the home to a selected family at cost. HFHNC holds the no-interest mortgage and uses the payments to build additional houses.

FAQ: How much does a HFHNC house cost?
It costs between $140,000 and $170,000 including the land to build a Habitat home in Nassau County. Our volunteer labor force, donations of materials and some skilled labor performed 'at cost' (and sometimes donated) help to keep down the price.

FAQ: How are families selected?
Families interested in owning a Habitat home must complete a Homeownership application. Once it is received, it is reviewed by the Family Selection Committee and after a lengthy and thorough process including face-to-face interviews and credit checks; a recommendation is made to the Board of Directors. This process is non-discriminatory and is based on three criteria: a family's need for housing, their ability to pay the mortgage, taxes, and home insurance and their willingness to put in at least 300 hours of 'sweat equity' towards the building of their own home and homes of other HFHNC families.

FAQ: How are donations used?
Members of the Board of Directors and members of our committees are all volunteers. Our office manager and construction manager receive small stipends for their services.
Approximately 90% of all donations go to the construction of our homes.

FAQ: How many homes has HFHNC built?
We have just completed our 10th home in June 2007. We also partnered with the HFH Suffolk County affiliate to build a 'Home in a Box' for victims of the 2007 hurricanes in the Gulf region. The home was built as a shell, taken apart and shipped to the Gulf region to be reconstructed on site. We will begin our 11th home in October 2007.

FAQ: Why aren't more homes built in Nassau County?
Our biggest challenge is finding available affordable land in this county. This is the biggest expense in the cost of building our homes. The Town of Hempstead has recently made parcels of land available to us at a very reasonable cost and we are working diligently to raise the funds to purchase these properties for future HFHNC homes.

FAQ: How can I volunteer?
Complete and return the volunteer application available on this web site. There is a form, which can be downloaded, printed and returned by mail or fax. Also there is an online application available as well.

FAQ: Who can volunteer?
All persons whether skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled are encouraged to volunteer. We have need for assistance in our office as well as on the construction sites. Construction site volunteers must be at least 18 years old, due to liability concerns. Children between the ages of 16 and 18 years old can help on a construction site with landscaping or interior painting jobs.

FAQ: What can I do if I'm under 16 years old?
HFHNC strives to provide lunches to our construction volunteers; therefore we encourage children's groups to become involved by preparing or purchasing simple but nutritional lunches and beverages for our hard working volunteers.

FAQ: What days are homes built?
HFHNC builds two days per week, every Saturday and one day during the week, generally either Tuesdays or Wednesdays. All volunteers are advised by the Volunteer committee when to come to the construction site. No one should come to the site unless instructed to by the Volunteer committee.