Affordable Homeownership | Lawrence Habitat

Affordable

Housing

Habitat for Humanity believes that building a home does more than just put a roof over someone's head.

In adequate, affordable housing:

Parents can provide stability for their children
Health, physical safety, and security improve dramatically
Educational and job prospects increase

Housing has the power to transform communities by:

Attracting economic investment and development
Contributing to thriving schools and community organizations
Building social stability and security through safe homes and neighborhoods

What does it take to be
Habitat Homeowner?

Applications for the

Lawrence Habitat for Humanity Homebuyer Program

will be available

May 18, 2026 - June 15, 2026.

Application packets can be picked up at the Lawrence Habitat Homebuyer Information Meeting or at the Lawrence Habitat ReStore, 2108 W. 27th St. Ste. C., Lawrence, beginning May 18, 2026 and must be returned by June 15, 2026 by 5pm. Please ask a staff member for assistance.

To learn more, attend one of our 2026 Lawrence Habitat Homebuyer Information Meetings listed below:

May 21st - 6:30pm - 8:00pm at the Lawrence Public Library, Meeting Room A, 707 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044
May 26th - 12:30pm - 2:00pm at the Lawrence Public Library, Meeting Room A, 707 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044
May 30th - 1:30pm - 3:00pm at the Lawrence Public Library, Meeting Room A, 707 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044

*Attendance at an informational meeting is not required to apply, but is encouraged.

The application deadline is June 15th, 2026 at 5:00pm.

Application Process

Eligibility Requirements:

Ability to pay- Gross Household Income (before taxes) must be between 30% and 60% of median income for Douglas County (see table below), record of stable employment for one or more years, positive bill pay history, and no bankruptcy within the last 3 years.
Need- More than 30% of gross monthly household income is being spent on rent or house payments, problems with heating, water, electricity, structural defects, maintenance, overcrowding, etc.
Willingness to Partner- Willing and able to attend homeowner education classes and complete sweat equity hours.

Equal Opportunity

Lawrence Habitat for Humanity does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, handicap, religion, national origin, family status, or marital status, or because all or part of income is derived from any public assistance.

Partnership

Building a home with Habitat for Humanity is a partnership. Habitat makes a mortgage loan to our homeowners, but we're not a typical mortgage lender. Our home loans are interest-free, and our homeowners pay only for the cost of construction since labor is donated by volunteers.

When a family or individual is selected to become a Habitat homeowner, a Family Partner is also selected to become a friend who will guide the future homeowner through the process of learning to build their house, and then take care of it. The hours the family spends building their house and helping other families build homes, is what we call "sweat equity." Each adult family member is required to work at least 200 hours of sweat equity before the completion of their home.

Habitat families are also asked to participate in spreading the Habitat mission. Because we rely heavily on donations to pay for building materials, our families pay a vital role in the in telling the Habitat story to the community.

What does a Habitat house cost?

The cost of a Habitat house is dependent on the fair market value and the family's gross income. A 25-30 year interest-free mortgage is broken down to monthly payments (including taxes and insurance) that are less than 25% of the family's gross income. The family is responsible for closing costs of $1,200, due when the house is complete and the mortgage is signed.

Habitat houses are designed to be simple, decent and affordable

The number of bedrooms is determined by the size of the family, and children who are the same gender and within three years of age of one another share a bedroom.
Homes are built to accommodate any special needs of the family. For example, some homes are wheelchair accessible with a walk-in shower instead of bath, wider doorways, etc.
Homes are built to be long-lasting and easily maintained, with floor plans designed with consideration of building process, economy of floor space, design variation, energy efficiency, site constraints, and floor space standards suggested by Habitat for Humanity International.