Local News
Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area seeking future homeowners
The non-profit is currently looking for five new Habitat homeowners in their service area, the most homeowners they’ve ever been looking to select at one given time.
Five new homes in the Coulee Region, looking for owners, through Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area.
The group is now accepting applications for the Habitat Homeownership Program to provide affordable housing options for local residents.
Kahya Fox, Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area executive director, said this year they’re looking for more partner families than ever before.
“We’re going to be changing the lives of families in our community,” Fox said. “They just don’t know it yet. So it’s just a wonderful time to be part of Habitat for Humanity as we look for these future homeowners and individuals that maybe thought they could never own a home are now going to be able to start the process with us.”
These five new homes are not just in La Crosse. Fox says Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area sits in four counties: La Crosse, Trempealeau, and Vernon, along with Houston County in Minnesota.
Habitat is currently looking for two homeowners in La Crosse, another in West Salem and one in Eitzen, Minnesota.
The fifth house is a piece of property from the Monroe County Habitat in Tomah, that they’ll be developing as their second Habitat for Heroes Veteran Home.
Fox says Habitat wants to set partner families up to be successful homeowners in our community.
“Habitat believes in a hand up not a handout,” Fox said. “So when the home is complete, we actually sell the home to the partner families for the full appraised value of the home. The difference that allows for lower income families to make that move into homeownership is that habitat offers those loans using a 0% interest mortgage. That really is a game changer that allows families to get into homeownership, but at the end of the day, they pay full homeowners insurance and property taxes on the home.”
Homeowners also help in the building process.
“That’s one of the most beautiful things about Habitat for Humanity is that we work with people in the community to help build our homes,” Fox said. “We work with volunteers and our partner families. The partner families do anywhere from 350 to 400 sweat-equity hours, working alongside our staff and our volunteers to build their own home so they give back for the homes they receive but they also learn those really important skills, like how to make repairs on their own homes.”
The application process is relatively easy for interested future homeowners. Application packets are available on Habitat’s website here, copies are available at the Habitat ReStore, or call at 608-785-2373 to have one sent in the mail.
Habitat is also hosting programs this Friday and Saturday at 11 am for potential new homeowners through the program. Register here.
Applications will be accepted through Sept. 2.
Alec Johnston
July 10, 2023 at 5:27 pm
Hello, my name is Alec Andrew Johnston, I am 25 years old, and I am working on creating a family. I attend counseling and am a member of a church here in La Crosse. I go to school and work full time. I have income from ssi as well, as I have a disability. I am interested in the habitat for humanity homeownership program. Please let me know how we can make this happen.