About Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland

Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland is a nonprofit corporation formed on November 3, 1982. Habitat for Humanity’s purpose is to create affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland focuses their work in the areas of Montgomery and Prince George’s County. The organization has been able to fulfill that purpose by completing over 415 projects thus far. Being a non-profit the organization functions with donations and support. This includes time, money, furniture, cars, and much more.

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit that strives to live up to their mission, vision, and values. The mission is to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland believes that housing affects neighborhoods. The organization believes stable housing is an important factor in a neighborhood and that better housing leads to better quality of living. Better quality of living ultimately leads to stronger people. Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland’s vision is a community in which everyone has a decent place to live in. Both Montgomery and Prince George’s county are growing communities that have many residents with low incomes or that are living in poverty. Housing costs have increased and continue to increase making homeownership nearly impossible for some people.

Habitat for Humanity prides itself on providing opportunities, and there are plenty of them. There are opportunities for a wide range of people, whether someone would like a homeownership opportunity or they want to help others attain homeownership. One of the most known opportunities is to be a volunteer and there are multiple ways and areas! Habitat has volunteers that help advocate to change different housing policies, host volunteer events, do construction, work at a retail store, or get involved with operations. There are also faith based or corporation opportunities. Other strengths include having a large number of people willing to sponsor, or donate to the organization. They provide housing, make sure it’s sustainable, and if you already own a home there is also a program that will repair and make current home sustainable.

Habitat for humanity creates an opportunity for people with low incomes to be homeowners. Homeownership and the affordability of it are important. The ability to own a home allows one to put money towards something that can belong to them instead of shelling out the same amount of money if not more to rent. It allows families and communities to be able to grow, support, and stay in their neighborhoods. It can also bring a sense of pride. Homeownership is not an easy task, but when successfully completed it is something one should recognize as an accomplishment. One can have pride in knowing they own a home, now have an asset, and something to pass down to other family members.

Every organization has a goal to put their best foot forward and to be successful, but with every organization there are both threats and weaknesses. There are some weaknesses with the website and the application process. The website is where people go to get a lot of information about habitat. The website is where individuals go to find out how to get involved or become a homeowner. One weakness of the website is not updating the website and providing consistent information. For example, the website is currently showing three home buyer information sessions, but also on the same page shows a link to sign up for and states that there are currently no information sessions scheduled. In the application process, the credit score requirement of 620 or better was a concern.

Low income families or families living in poverty, may have made choices that affected their credit score, and are more likely to have a lower credit score. A credit score under 620 would not necessarily mean that the person interested is not currently capable of owning a home successfully. Habitat requires other documentation such as W2 statements, income tax returns, bank statements, utility bills, and other sources of income. If everything else is at standard, a minimum credit score may be disqualifying some of the individuals in extreme need. Threats to Habitats for Humanity’s mission can include inclement weather, or lack of funds. Inclement weather can be a threat, as construction or events cannot go on during it. The lack of funds could be a threat because if not enough funds are raised or if the funds run out before the project is completed it doesn’t allow Habitat to complete their mission.

Habitat for Humanity is an exceptional and much needed organization. Homeownership comes with many benefits. Children can grow up in their neighborhoods, one can learn to take care of the yard, the house can be customized, and learning the process and financials that go along with it can be valuable to a individual in more areas in life than just homeownership. These benefits may seem minor or are sometimes taken for granted, but everyone should have the opportunity to own a home where they live and Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland is taking steps every day to create those opportunities.