MISSION – Atlanta Habitat for Humanity partners with working families, sponsors, and communities to build affordable, green, quality homes and to provide support services that promote successful home purchase and ownership.

• Founded in 1983 as a nonprofit housing organization, Atlanta Habitat built almost 1,100 homes in the City of Atlanta and Fulton County through 2009, empowering and improving the quality of life for more than 3,600 family members. 
• Atlanta Habitat builds 45-55 houses each year, making it one of the largest builders of affordable, single-family homes in Atlanta. 
• Since 2008, Atlanta Habitat has been able to serve families in 10 metro Atlanta counties, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Dawson, DeKalb, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Henry.
• Atlanta Habitat spends approximately 85 cents of every dollar donated directly on homebuilding and homeowner programs and services, and has earned Charity Navigator’s highest 4-star rating in fiscal management.
• Atlanta Habitat enlists and encourages volunteers from all faiths, races, and economic backgrounds to provide necessary hands-on construction labor and support to the ReStore and other programs. In 2009, Atlanta Habitat recruited and managed more than 12,700 volunteers.
  

 WHAT WE DO

• Acquire land (through purchase or donations) in areas that provide sufficient lots to build several homes. Atlanta Habitat strives to create a “critical mass” of homeowners so that entire neighborhoods show visible signs of revitalization and stability.
• Secure sponsors – faith-based groups, businesses, and civic organizations – to help underwrite the cost of building houses and to supply the volunteers needed to construct each house.
• Select the families, based on standard qualifications related to successful homeownership.
• Build 3-bedroom / 1 bath and 4-bedroom / 2 bath EarthCraft/Energy Star-certified homes which are better for the environment and cost less to maintain.
• Educate new homebuyers by requiring them to attend 12 education classes offering instruction in home maintenance, budgeting, community involvement, and more. Classes are open on an ongoing basis to all Atlanta Habitat homeowners.
• Provide and service no-interest mortgages for all Atlanta Habitat homeowners – currently more than 900 loan packages. Homeowners pay no interest on their mortgages, saving them an average of $125,000 over the life of their mortgage.
• Operate the ReStore, a retail home improvement outlet store for donated items that provides funding to build more homes.

• Sponsoring organizations underwrite a portion of direct construction costs. Donations, foundations, special events, product sales, ReStore sales, and homebuyer mortgage payments provide additional funds for land acquisition, site development, construction, homebuyer programs and services, and general operations.
• Applicants are required to meet several qualifications to ensure success.  Prospective homebuyers must:
  • Be first-time homebuyers;
  • Be citizens or legal residents and have lived or worked in the City of Atlanta or one of 10 metro Atlanta counties for one year;
  • Have at least two, but no more than eight, people in the household;
  • Show good credit – no bankruptcies, repossessions, or outstanding delinquent balances;
  • Have monthly income that falls within minimum and maximum limits, depending on household size;
  • Sustain a savings account over six months with a minimum balance of $200.
    
• Homebuyers enter a one-year lease before purchasing their home. During this year, homebuyers attend Home Smart, the Atlanta Habitat education program, and satisfy sweat-equity requirements as they transition from renters to homeowners.

Atlanta Habifacts - download a facts sheet about Atlanta Habitat.
Atlanta Habitat Media Facts Sheet - download a media facts sheet for more detailed information.
Atlanta Habitat ReStore Facts Sheet - download a facts sheet about Atlanta Habitat ReStore.