Charleston Habitat for Humanity
Who We Are
ABOUT CHARLESTON HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Charleston Habitat for Humanity (CHFH) joined the affordable housing effort in 1989. The affiliate’s earliest service was partnering with the local community to transform the Low Country of South Carolina after a Category 5 hurricane ripped into the Southeastern Seaboard in September of 1989. Hurricane Hugo was the costliest storm the country had ever seen at that time. In its aftermath, the federal government declared more than half of South Carolina's 46 counties disaster areas, and official economic estimates pegged the widespread damage at more than $5 billion. Public assistance and insurance money post-Hugo wasn't the only thing that transformed the area – housing nonprofits were heavily relied upon in Charleston. The city once lined with old houses now found a lot of them were at ground level or wiped away by the storm.
CHFH has been able to assist the community with its formation and continue serving the community long after the tragedy had passed. To date, the affiliate has built 97 new homes, renovated 42 houses and supported 48 homes in Honduras - improving over 1,000 lives through home ownership. We are dedicated to eliminating substandard housing through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to families in need.
What We Do
Our organization utilizes volunteer labor and donated funds, with Charleston Habitat ReStore being our largest source of funding, to provide a hand up – not a handout – to our partner families. Our homeowners make between 35 and 80 percent of the area median income (AMI) and are selected based upon their need, their demonstrated ability to handle personal finances and their willingness to contribute 350-500 sweat equity hours depending on family status during the construction of their home. Upon completion, the home is purchased by the homeowner using an affordable mortgage and monthly mortgage payments are directed toward future home-building efforts as they are received.
