Pickens County Habitat uses the application to learn about your family. We look at where you live now, how much money comes in, what you owe, and whether a mortgage payment would work for your budget.
This walkthrough goes through each part of the process so you know what is coming.
Pickens County Habitat for Humanity is an independent, locally run organization. We are part of the larger Habitat for Humanity network, but we raise our own money and build our own homes. We are not a government program and do not rely on government support. Every home we build is funded by donations from people right here in Pickens County, along with grants from local corporations and foundations.
That means how much we can build depends on how much our community gives. And how fast we can build depends on our volunteers. We have one full-time construction staff member who does an incredible job overseeing the work, but the building itself gets done by volunteer crews. We are your neighbors, and we want to see more families in safe, affordable homes. But we can only move as fast as our funding and our volunteers allow.
It's important to understand that our first responsibility is to the families actively participating in our program. We want to make sure they get their homes within a reasonable amount of time. We open applications as soon as we can, but these factors mean that, when applications open, we may only be able to bring one new family into the program at a time.
When applications are open, you can get one three ways:
The application covers your family, your income, your debts, your bills, and your housing. Some questions will take time because you may need to look up records or find documents.
Start thinking about what documents you will need now. That way you can move fast when applications open.
Your household is everyone who lives with you now and who would move into the Habitat home. That includes all adults, children, and other family members.
We also ask about your current housing. Do you rent? Live with family? Stay with friends? Your answer helps us understand your need.
Your situation does not have to be the worst case. Need just means your current housing is causing a real problem for your family. Some examples:
We ask about all the money coming into your home. We have to be able to verify it, so you will need records as proof of your income. That includes things like pay stubs, benefit letters, or bank statements that show where your income comes from and how much you receive.
We look at your gross annual income. That is your total income before taxes are taken out. We compare that number to the limits for your family size.
| Household Size | Gross Annual Income (Min – Max) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $33,480 – $59,550 |
| 2 | $38,295 – $68,050 |
| 3 | $43,065 – $76,550 |
| 4 | $47,835 – $85,050 |
| 5 | $51,705 – $91,900 |
| 6 | $55,530 – $98,700 |
| 7 | $59,355 – $105,500 |
| 8 | $63,180 – $112,300 |
We ask about what you owe each month and what your housing situation looks like. That covers things like rent, credit cards, car payments, loans, medical bills, child support, utilities, and anything else you pay on a regular basis.
Habitat homes are not free. If you are accepted, you will have a mortgage payment. We need to know you can pay it and still cover your other costs, like food, gas, and utilities.
You do not need perfect credit to apply. We just want to make sure the payment will work for your family.
Willingness to Partner is one of the three basic requirements for Habitat homeownership. It means your family agrees to three things if you are accepted:
You will need to send in supporting documents with your application. Start collecting these now. Some can take time to find.
You can mail your application or drop it off at our Clemson office by appointment. We can only review what we can verify. Missing documents may hold up your review.
Once you submit, our staff will start reviewing. This takes time. Watch for calls, emails, or letters from us and write back or call as soon as you can.
If your application looks like it meets the basic requirements, it goes to the Homeowner Selection and Support Committee. They review it and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors.
You may be contacted for a home visit. Someone from our committee will come to you. This does not mean you have been accepted into the program. It means the committee wants to learn more about your family and see your current housing situation firsthand.
How many families we can select depends on how much we can build. It costs about $200,000 to build one home in Pickens County. We may only be able to work with a few families each year. If you are accepted, you will still need to finish your classes, your sweat equity hours, and the steps to close on your home.
Not being accepted does not always mean no. Sometimes it just means not yet. You may need more time to build your credit, pay off debt, or raise your income.
You can start getting ready now, even before applications open:
Families who are ready before applications open tend to have stronger applications.
You now know what the Pickens County Habitat application process looks like from start to finish.
If you have questions or want to know when applications open, give us a call or visit our website.