Frequently Asked Questions

Click here to download the Trinity Habitat Overview.

What is Trinity Habitat for Humanity’s (TRINITY HABITAT) Mission?
Trinity Habitat for Humanity builds homes and hope in partnership with God’s people. An ecumenical Christian housing ministry, Trinity Habitat is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, committed to the ideal that all people deserve a simple, decent, healthy place to live on terms they can afford to pay.

How does Trinity Habitat work?
Habitat offers a hand up, not a handout, to low-income working families. Homeowners buy their houses and invest “sweat equity” labor in the construction of their homes or other Habitat projects. Habitat homes are affordable because of volunteer labor, donated funds and materials. Interest payments add substantially to home costs, so Habitat houses are financed by the organization at no interest and are sold at no profit. Homeowners’ house payments go into a revolving fund that helps build more homes.

Who do we serve?
Habitat homeowners are working people who might have only dreamed of home ownership because of skyrocketing home prices. Habitat partner families’ income levels between 30% and 60% of the median. Families qualify on the basis of need, willingness to partner with the Habitat program and ability to make mortgage payments that average between $400-$450 monthly, including taxes and insurance. Habitat follows a non-discriminatory policy of family selection. The community benefits as responsible citizens move into neighborhoods. Property values increase and other homeowners in the neighborhood begin to improve their property.

Why is affordable housing important?
Everyone needs a safe, decent place to sleep each night. Over 650,000 houses in Texas house are substandard. More than 88% of poor Texas households with children have at least one major housing problem. Housing in older neighborhoods is often destroyed through arson, violence, or neglect. Some families are living with other people in overcrowded conditions. Others live without water or heat. No one should have to live in an overcrowded, dilapidated, dangerous house. Substandard housing seriously limits the potential of both children and adults. A simple decent place to live can break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness.

Where is Trinity Habitat at work?
Trinity Habitat for Humanity serves Tarrant, Johnson, Parker and Wise Counties. Houses have been built in several neighborhoods throughout Fort Worth, including Near Southeast, Southside, Worth Heights, Northside, Greenway, Mosier Valley, Como as well as Arlington. In 2002, Trinity Habitat for Humanity and Johnson County Habitat for Humanity signed an agreement making Johnson County a “chapter.” We are now expanding our service area to include Parker and Wise Counties. The first two houses were built in Weatherford in Parker County and Decatur in Wise County in 2007.

When did Habitat for Humanity start?
Trinity Habitat for Humanity was created in 1989 and has built over 328 homes. The organization is affiliated with Habitat for Humanity International, which has built more than 225,000 homes around the world in the past 29 years.