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More Low-Income Housing In Los Angeles

Habitat for Humanity?s two largest Los Angeles area affiliates?Los Angeles and South Bay/Long Beach?have joined forces to become one organization: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. The two affiliates have combined their resources, board and staff to serve 112 cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County including 70 communities within the City of Los Angeles. By streamlining operations, HFH GLA will be able to increase the number of new homes and homeownership opportunities for low-income families in a real estate market that is making affordable housing increasingly challenging.

The median price for a single-family home in Los Angeles County in August 2005 was $520,000. Through the use of a primarily volunteer work force, it costs approximately $160,000 to construct a Habitat home. Jack Baringer, President of Board of Directors, adds, ?The whole will be greater than the sum of its parts. We will partner with more communities, build more homes, and ultimately house more families.?

HFH partner families earn 25 to 50 percent of area median income. For Los Angeles County, that translates to as little as $17,850 / year for a family of four. Partner families must also meet the following requirements: demonstrated need for adequate shelter, ability to pay back a zero-interest loan, and willingness to partner with HFH GLA to invest 500 ?sweat? equity hours into building their home or another Habitat home.