Working with our many partners, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity builds strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable homeownership.
We build homes in Hampshire and Franklin Counties with the help of our dedicated volunteers and partner families. Being a Habitat homebuyer offers the chance to help build and learn about what goes on behind the walls of your own home – no prior construction experience necessary! – and own a home with an affordable mortgage. Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity is an equal opportunity housing lender.
Applications have CLOSED for our next two homes, a three-bedroom in Northampton and one-bedroom in Greenfield. Please join our notification list if you are interested in being alerted when future applications are available.
General information on Habitat homeownership
Qualified Habitat homebuyers are…
- In need of better housing: potential homebuyers may be dealing with poorly made, unhealthy, or inadequate housing, unaffordable rent, homes inaccessible for their physical abilities, or other problems with their current living situations. You also qualify as having a housing need if your income is insufficient to purchase a market rate home in your area.
- Willing to partner with Habitat: Habitat homebuyers put in 250 hours of “sweat equity” helping to build their home and the homes of others in the program. Modifications to sweat equity requirements are made for those with disabilities.
- Able to pay an affordable mortgage: partner families buy their homes with an affordable mortgage, and their payments cycle back into the community to help build more affordable homes.
Habitat Application FAQ
Pioneer Valley Habitat is an equal opportunity housing lender.
Statement of Non-Discrimination: Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity will not to discriminate in the selection of applicants on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, ancestry, children, familial status, genetic information, marital status, public assistance recipiency, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran/military status, or any other basis prohibited by law, and such a statement must also be included in the application materials. Further, persons with disabilities are entitled to request a reasonable accommodation in rules, policies, practices, or services, or to request a reasonable modification in the housing, when such accommodations or modifications may be necessary.
* First Time Homebuyer Definition
from 42 U.S.C. § 12704(14)
(14) The term “first-time homebuyer” means an individual and his or her spouse who have not owned a home during the 3-year period prior to purchase of a home with assistance under subchapter II, except that—
- (A) any individual who is a displaced homemaker may not be excluded from consideration as a first-time homebuyer under this paragraph on the basis that the individual, while a homemaker, owned a home with his or her spouse or resided in a home owned by the spouse;
- (B) any individual who is a single parent may not be excluded from consideration as a first-time homebuyer under this paragraph on the basis that the individual, while married, owned a home with his or her spouse or resided in a home owned by the spouse; and
- (C) an individual shall not be excluded from consideration as a first-time homebuyer under this paragraph on the basis that the individual owns or owned, as a principal residence during such 3-year period, a dwelling unit whose structure is—
- (i) not permanently affixed to a permanent foundation in accordance with local or other applicable regulations, or
- (ii) not in compliance with State, local, or model building codes, or other applicable codes, and cannot be brought into compliance with such codes for less than the cost of constructing a permanent structure.
(13) The term “displaced homemaker” means an individual who—
- (A) is an adult;
- (B) has not worked full-time full-year in the labor force for a number of years but has, during such years, worked primarily without remuneration to care for the home and family; and
- (C) is unemployed or underemployed and is experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment.
