Homeownership

Qualifying Families are selected based on:

Need

Ability to Pay

Willingness to Partner

Affordable Homeownership with Lasting Impact

At Tillamook County Habitat for Humanity, we believe in making homeownership permanently affordable for families in need. Our Permanent Affordability Covenant ensures that when a Habitat home is sold, it remains affordable for the next low-income family—helping generations achieve housing stability.

While this limits traditional wealth-building through homeownership, it protects affordability in our community, ensuring more families can have a safe, stable place to call home.

How Our Homeownership Program Works

Our homeownership program is designed to serve moderate, low, and very low-income households in Tillamook County, Oregon. Becoming a Habitat homeowner requires hard work, commitment, and partnership-but the reward is a safe, stable, and affordable home.

The Habitat Path to Homeownership

🔨 Building & Buying Your Home
As a Habitat partner, you’ll work alongside volunteers to help build your own home and those of your future neighbors. No construction experience? No problem! We provide training and accommodations for different schedules and abilities.

💰 An Affordable Mortgage
Habitat homes are sold at an affordable price with a mortgage that does not exceed 30% of your gross monthly income at the time of purchase.

📚 Education & Financial Readiness
Homeownership is a long-term commitment. Our program includes financial education and homeownership classes to help ensure long-term success.

🤝 Sweat Equity Commitment
Our program is a “hand-up,” not a handout. Habitat homeowners contribute by:
✔️ Helping build their home or others’ homes
✔️ Attending homeownership and budgeting classes
✔️ Volunteering at Habitat events or in our ReStore

What is a Permanent Affordability Covenant?

Unlike traditional homeownership, Habitat homes come with a Permanent Affordability Covenant that ensures the home remains affordable for future generations.

🏡 What does this mean?

When a Habitat homeowner decides to sell, the home is resold at an affordable price to another low-income family.

This protects against rising housing costs, ensuring long-term affordability in our community.

While homeowners still build some equity, the resale price is restricted to keep the home within reach of future families.

🔎 Why It Matters:

Our mission is to provide lasting affordability, so more families can benefit from homeownership without being priced out of the market.

Do You Qualify for Habitat Homeownership?

We evaluate applications based on three main criteria:

1️⃣ Need for Affordable Housing

You may qualify if you are:
✔️ Living in unsafe, overcrowded, or substandard housing
✔️ Spending too much of your income on rent
✔️ In need of special accommodations for disabilities

2️⃣ Willingness to Partner

Habitat is a partnership program. Homebuyers must:
✔️ Participate in building their home or other Habitat projects perform required number of ‘sweat equity’ hours
✔️ Complete financial education and homeownership training
✔️ Engage with the community and share their Habitat journey

3️⃣ Ability to Pay an Affordable Mortgage

Your monthly mortgage payment-including principal, taxes, and insurance, will be about 30% of your income.

Income Guidelines

Your total household income (before taxes) must fall within the range below: 2024

FY 2025 Income Limit Category Persons in Family
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Low (80%) Income Limits ($) 46,800 53,450 60,150 66,800 72,150 77,500 82,850 88,200

Household income = ALL gross income of ALL adults who will live in the household

Where We Build

We build in:

🏡 Tillamook County

If you’re looking for housing outside these areas, contact your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate.

Stay Updated!

Exciting News!

Applications for qualifying homeownership of our newest Bay City home are open. Applications will be open for one week only, so don’t miss this opportunity. We look forward to meeting and welcoming our newest Tillamook Habitat family!

Homeowner Selection Timeline:

  • Applications Open: September 29 – October 5
  • Committee Review: October 6-10
  • Selection Process Begins: October 20

Please call 503-842-7472 or email [email protected] for application inquiry.

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What Habitat Families Say

“Without Habitat for Humanity we would have never been able to get into a house. We are able to have gardens, a safe place for our children to run and grown, and a stable home where we know we can afford the payment!”

Valerie homeowner since 2009

“Habitat has allowed us to build our own home, with our family, for our family. It would not have been possible financially without the help of Habitat and all the volunteers. Along with learning new skills along the way! We are extremely blessed to have a house to call our home that we built with all of our friends, new and old.”

Jessica Homeowner since 2015

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Habitat homes given away?

No, homes are sold to qualified families who purchase it at an affordable mortgage. These moderate to low-income individuals and families are unable to obtain conventional home financing. Generally, this includes those whose income is 30-80 percent of the area’s median income.

How is Habitat funded?

Tillamook County Habitat receives funding through a variety of sources including: mortgage payments from Habitat for Humanity homeowners, individual donations, corporate contributions, gifts from faith communities, private and governmental grants, special events, and ReStore proceeds. 

Will having a Habitat home in a neighborhood reduce property values?

Housing studies show affordable housing has no adverse effect on neighborhood property values. In fact, Habitat homes have proven to increase property values and local government tax income.

Do only ethnic minorities and/or Christians receive Habitat for Humanity homes?

No, Habitat is an equal opportunity lender and builds homes in partnership with those in need regardless of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, familial status, disability, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, source of income, or other characteristics protected by law. Prospective homeowners must meet three criteria: need, ability to repay the mortgage, and a willingness to partner with Habitat.

Did former U.S. President Jimmy Carter found Habitat for Humanity?

No, the late Millard Fuller and his wife Linda started Habitat in 1976 in Americus, GA. President Carter and his wife Rosalynn (whose home is eight miles from Americus, in Plains, GA), have been longtime Habitat supporters and volunteers who help bring national attention to the organization’s home-building work. Each year they lead the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project to help build homes and raise awareness of the need for affordable housing.

How can I help?

There are many ways to help advance the mission of Habitat for Humanity in here in Tillamook County.  You can donate funding to help sponsor home construction. You can volunteer on a build site or in a ReStore or in an administrative capacity. You can donate to or shop our ReStore. You can encourage others to join the mission of Habitat for Humanity and dream, become a pray partner and work for a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Tillamook County Habitat for Humanity is an equal opportunity provider. We are committed to the letter and spirit of American policy for equal housing opportunity across the country. We encourage and support an affirmative marketing and advertising program where there are no barriers to obtaining a home due to race, color, religion, gender, disability, familial status, or national origin. We also do not discriminate because all or part of the applicant’s income is derived from public assistance programs.