Since 1985, Habitat for Humanity has been building in Philadelphia, initially as four separate affiliates, and since 2003, as one unified organization serving all neighborhoods of our city. During that time we have completed construction on 140 homes.

Habitat Philadelphia focuses its efforts on building multiple homes in a community rather than scattered site houses. In this way we can transform entire neighborhoods one block at a time. To date we have built 85 homes in North Philadelphia, 25 homes in West Philadelphia, 15 in Germantown, and an additional 10 in South Philadelphia.

House Projects
Currently we are building seven environmentally friendly homes in East Parkside. Known as green affordable Philadelphia the homes offer many energy saving technologies to our homeowners and demonstrate the ease and affordability of incorporating green building.

Point Breeze
Over the next two years we will focus considerable energy in this community just south of Washington Avenue. In 2007 we completed three homes in this neighborhood. In the fall, with help from several local Presbyterian churches, and the Patrick Monaghan Foundation we will break ground on an additional four houses.

Germantown
Home to three new houses to be completed in 2009, construction will begin in the Spring of 2009.

Habitat Philadelphia focuses on home ownership as its solution to affordable housing. By offering no-interest mortgages and accepting sweat equity as a down payment we are able to offer affordable homeownership opportunities to families who would otherwise not qualify for a mortgage.

Low income families who rent are not only subject to wages that fluctuate and lower levels of job security, but also to substandard living conditions in poorly maintained homes and ever increasing renal prices. Most spend 50% or more of their income on housing, leaving little for anything else. By contrast, homeowners have the security of a relatively stable monthly payment that is lower than what they pay to rent, and they are building equity for themselves and for their family.

Homeownership Builds Successful Children:
Compared to the children of renters (of the same age, income, race, etc.), the children of homeowners are:

• more likely to graduate from high school
• more likely to graduate from college,
• less likely to become teenage mothers,
• more likely to own a home within 10 years of moving from their parent's household have fewer behavior problems.

Every great city needs a well educated workforce and studies have shown the following "run-off" benefits from homeownership. By investing in homeownership for families Habitat Philadelphia and its partner families are rebuilding the infrastructure of Philadelphia's communities and future community leaders.

Their financial investment in the community increases the likelihood that they will invest in the community in other ways as well, by being active citizens involved in neighborhood revitalization.

Habitat Philadelphia homeowners are gainfully employed. Most make less than $20,000 a year and support one or more dependents. Currently mortgage payments average $450 per month including taxes and insurance. The affordability of the monthly payment enables them to spend more on healthy food, medical care, and leisure activities, offering families a less stressful life.

In fact, compared to renters of the same age, income, race, etc., homeowners are 12 times wealthier, have 66% of their wealth in their homes, and accumulate an average of $44,000 in home equity during the first 10 years of homeownership. This wealth becomes the basis for first-generation college graduates and small business owners.