Home ownership for those individuals working hard, but earning only modest incomes, may seem unattainable. But if you haven’t given up, Habitat for Humanity might be able to help connect you with your own piece of the American Dream.
The nonprofit organization has two vacant properties in Highland Park on which it intends to build homes. It will hold meetings at the Highland Park Senior/Youth Center (220 South Sixth Avenue) on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and then again on Saturday, Feb. 21, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for individuals interested in owning a Habitat house. Applications will be available at the meetings, and attendance at one of the meetings is required to be considered for the program. Completed applications are due by noon March 16. Qualified applicants will be assigned a lottery number, with the selection occurring via lottery in April. Please note: prospective applicants must register for the meetings in advance by calling Family Service Director Loretta Rivers at 908-769-5292, ext. 4.
Habitat for Humanity Newark builds simple, decent homes for low-income families in New Jersey, throughout the United States and the world. In order to qualify for a Habitat for Humanity house, families must be gainfully employed with verifiable income, pass a credit check and agree to personal visits and interviews by team members. Families also must provide more than 400 hours of “sweat equity” in Habitat for Humanity construction projects.
The property on which the Highland Park Habitat homes will be built is located at 236 South 10th Avenue and was donated by the borough to Habitat in 2014.
“It has been a goal of mine to work with an organization like Habitat for Humanity and bring this community-wide volunteer opportunity to directly improve the lives of a family in Highland Park,” Borough Council President Susie Welkovitz said. “With all the new development in town, it is important to continue our Borough’s long-standing commitment of affordable housing for our residents.
A ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled for late April – more specifics about the exact date and time will be published in the Highland Park Planet calendar in early April.