Apply For A New Home

Looking for an affordable opportunity to buy a simple, decent home?

Before reviewing the criteria for Habitat’s homeownership program, please understand: Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County is not an "emergency" housing agency. Typically, it takes anywhere between 12 to 24 months from the time that someone applies, becomes accepted into the program, attains their requisite “sweat equity” hours, and becomes a new Habitat homeowner.

Homeowner Qualifications

• Do you have a legitimate need for a house?
  If you rent, live in a mobile home or reside in non-permanent housing, you have a suitable need.
• Would you be willing to complete 250 “sweat equity” hours, (per adult) and attend monthly homeowner meetings and help in the planning/building of your Habitat home?
• Is your credit good or repairable?
  Applicant is not eligible for a Habitat home if individual has filed bankruptcy in the last year.

If you answered yes to these three questions, there is the possibility that you could be one of our next Habitat for Humanity homeowners!

Homeowner Timeline

1) To begin the process, the prospective homeowner must first fill out a pre-application screening form and undergo a thorough credit history check.

2) After preliminary background work is completed, the pre-application screening form will be submitted to the homeowner committee for review.

3) Within two weeks, the prospective homeowner will be contacted by a member of the homeowner committee to schedule a home visit of the individual’s current living quarters.

4) At the home visit, the prospective homeowner will receive a full homeowner application that will be completed and given to the individual conducting the home visit. All information provided from the home visit will also be reviewed by the homeowner committee.

5) Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County will then contact the prospective homeowner to inform them whether or not they have been accepted into the homeownership program.

6) If accepted, the prospective homeowner will be provided with the partner family manual and be allowed to begin logging “sweat equity” hours—250 total hours per adult family member.

7) Once 75 hours (or 150 hours for a couple) have been finished, the prospective homeowner will be able to choose their housing lot from a listing provided by Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County.

8) Once 125 hours (or 250 hours for a couple) have been finished, the prospective homeowner will begin working with Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County to build a partnership for their own Habitat house.

9) The prospective homeowner will then complete the requisite “sweat equity” hours remaining and become a proud Habitat homeowner!

Apply for A Brush With Kindness (ABWK)

Home Repair Program

Habitat for Humanity is launching a new housing repair program called A Brush with Kindness (ABWK). Habitat for Humanity’s A Brush with Kindness utilizes volunteers to revitalize a home’s exterior through repair services such as painting, minor exterior repairs, landscaping, and exterior clean-up.

ABWK program partners must first complete an application, which is followed up with a home visit and property assessment. Once accepted into the program, volunteers will complete the necessary exterior repairs on the home. Depending on the project, repairs may include painting the house, landscaping and minor repair to porches, handrails, gutters or windows. To recover the cost of materials for the project, the homeowners will have a zero-interest loan, to be paid in monthly installments.

In addition to paying a zero interest loan for the materials, ABWK program partners will also contribute 15 sweat equity, or volunteer hours, to Habitat for Humanity. Volunteer opportunities are available for individuals of all ability levels.


To qualify for the program, applicants must:

• Live in an owner-occupied home (renter are not eligible)
• Have homeowners insurance
• Be willing to partner with Habitat for Humanity and contribute 15 sweat equity (volunteer) hours
• Be in need of exterior improvements to their home including painting, minor exterior repairs, landscaping and exterior clean up
• Have an ability to pay for the materials through a zero interest loan

To apply for ABWK, download an application. 

Then, mail or deliver the completed application to:
Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County

1514 West Jefferson

Springfield, IL 62702