Homeownership Program
Get a jumpstart on your application! Prepare now and submit it April 20-24, 2026.
Prepare now to submit your application.
Click on the button below to view our free Application Guide and start gathering what you need to submit your application.
Applications may be submitted April 20-24, 2026!
We only open applications 1-2 times per year, and we highly recommend signing up for our email list on this webpage so that you are notified right away.
Feel free to call our office at (574) 269-4104 or email us at apply@kosciuskohabitat.org if you have questions about the application or program.
Program Steps
Apply
This takes 1-2 months from beginning to end. We’ll take an in-depth look at your current financial and housing situation and determine if you qualify for the program. Please note, we can only accept a few applications at a time, and will strive to pick people who show a great need for housing.
Orientation
Once approved, we meet with you to explain all the details of the program and what will be required of your family.
Sweat Equity + Classes
As part of the program, each adult in the household is required to put in 250 hours of work with Habitat (with a household max of 500 hours). This includes attending financial and homeownership classes, as well as working on the build site and in the ReStore. Exceptions can be made for those with physical limitations.
Construction
Once land is secured and the funding is in hand, we will break ground on your future home! Our goal is to do this within 1 year of your acceptance into the program, but that is ultimately up to availability of land and funding. Construction takes ~6 months to finish.
Closing
As your home is nearing completion, we will begin preparing to close on your home. Each Habitat home is “sold” back to the family with a 0% interest mortgage. Habitat ensures that the monthly mortgage payment (including property taxes + insurance) is within 30% of your gross monthly income at closing. We will work with you at every step in the process!
Homeownership
Congrats, you are now a homeowner in Kosciusko County! We will still be here to help you adjust to this responsibility, but your home is now your own. Want to paint a wall? Do it! Your kids punched a hole in the drywall? Well, that’s the joy of homeownership!
