Who We Are
Habitat for Humanity Santa Cruz County is an independent locally operated and funded affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Our mission is to build decent, affordable homes and provide home ownership opportunities to qualified families who live and work in Santa Cruz County.
How It Works
Habitat for Humanity is not a giveaway program. Families purchase our homes with a down payment, sweat equity, and a 0% interest monthly mortgage.
Homeowner families are chosen according to their need, their ability to repay the no-profit, zero-interest mortgage, and their willingness to work in partnership with Habitat. Each Habitat homeowner contributes 500 hours in sweat equity towards the construction of a Habitat home.
Who Can Be Involved
Everyone! Habitat for Humanity Santa Cruz County has an open-door policy. All who believe in decent affordable places to live for everyone are welcome to help with our work, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or political views. We welcome volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds, and serve the same.
As a matter of policy, Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliated organizations do not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must either adhere to or convert to a particular faith, or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith. Our members, volunteers, and supporters are linked simply by the common belief in decent housing for everyone.
What We’ve Built
Together, our volunteers and families have built 41 homes, with further plans extending through the foreseeable future from Scotts Valley to Watsonville.
Who It Benefits
Habitat for Humanity is a community-based organization, and we strive to make of positive impact on as many people as possible.
There is more to our program than just providing affordable home ownership for low and very low income families. Partner families attend workshop on budgeting, conflict resolution, home maintenance, repair, and landscaping. Our partner families acquire skills and knowledge that will enable them to establish a foundation upon which they can gain economic stability and build a brighter future for their children.
Our volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds with a massive variety of skills. Anyone can come and put decades of knowledge of work building affordable housing, or come in with no experience and learn how to construct a home from the ground up.
Habitat homes cannot be sold for a profit, and should the homeowners wish to move, will be sold back to the organization at mortgage value, where it will be fixed up and remain affordable housing. Every home we build helps keep Santa Cruz a place where working class people can continue to raise their families.
Our ReStore accepts donations of gently used furniture and building materials, keeping them out of landfills, and then sells them at affordable prices. All profits from the ReStore go directly to funding our building projects.
How You Can Help
Our volunteers are true heroes of affordable housing in Santa Cruz County. If you are interested in volunteering (no experience required!) check out our volunteer page, or email volunteer@habitatsc.org
We rely on your generous donations to keep our organization funded and operational. Every little bit has a real and lasting effect, so check out our donation options here.
