Application Process:

A Habitat partner will be selected from a pool of applicants through our family selection process.

• Applicants must provide all the information requested on the application, including income for all adults who will be living in the house and short essay responses to a few questions. Do not leave questions blank or alter your answers to make them look "better".  Be honest and thorough.  

• After an initial screening, qualified applicants are asked to provide documentation of income.

• A credit report and background check are done before the application is presented to the Family Selection Committee. Applicants are required to have a credit score of 615 or higher to be considered for partnership.

• The Family Selection Committee selects applicants to invite for personal interviews.

• After the interviews, the Family Selection Committee decides which applicants to visit in their current home to document the need for housing.

• Based upon the information gathered, the Family Selection Committee chooses whom to present to the Board of Directors for final approval.

• Every applicant is notified by postal mail of the status of their application.  We are required by law to send notification of application status every 30 days until a partner is chosen, so depending on how long the selection process takes, you may receive multiple letters before a final decision is announced.

• The time from application to move-in day takes at least one year. If you or someone you know needs immediate housing assistance, please see our Resources page.

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​​To be Considered for a Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity Partnership you must:

• Be a resident of Oktibbeha County for at least one year prior to applying.

• Be in need of a better place to live.  This refers to the condition of current housing (overcrowding, crime, mold, disrepair) as well as rent cost burden (is the cost of rent more than 30% of your monthly income).

• Be able to afford a monthly mortgage that starts at $700 monthly. (The exact payment depends upon the size of the house and the cost of property taxes and homeowners insurance). This means the monthly mortgage payment must be 33% or less of your monthly income.

• Have an annual income between 60-80% of the Department of Housing and Development's ("HUD") guidelines. Please click the button below to see the HUD chart. ​

• Have a credit score of 615 or higher.

• Be willing to partner with Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity (see "Partner Agreement" below).

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Partner Agreement

Once selected as a partner for homeownership, you must sign a partner agreement that requires you to:

• Understand that the process from the application to move-in day will take one year or longer.

• Take three life improvement classes from an approved provider such as Emerson Family Resource Center or the Oktibbeha County MSU Extension Office. Classes must include one about budgeting and financial literacy. The others may include individually chosen topics such as nutrition or gardening. These classes are typically offered free of charge.

• Put in 300 hours of "sweat equity". This work is usually done at the building site but may be adapted for those with physical limitations. One hundred (100) hours must be performed by the Partner. Family and friends may donate the remaining hours.

• Meet with Family Nurture committee monthly to prepare for the responsibility of homeownership.

• Pay a monthly mortgage over the next 20 years.

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