Habitat is not a give-away program. Homeowners, as partner families, put hundreds of hours of their own labor, known as sweat-equity, into building their houses.

The "down payment" on a Habitat house includes fulfillment of sweat-equity requirements and payment of closing costs, which generally are between $1,100 and $1,300. Each Habitat for Humanity partner family is required to complete 400 hours (250 for a single-adult household) of sweat-equity working on their home and maybe those of other partner families.

Partner families purchase their house at no profit to Habitat, financed with an affordable, no-interest loan. The family's mortgage payments are recycled into a fund that is used to build more houses for more families in need.