Habitat Builds Homeowners

Since 1984, Flower City Habitat for Humanity has been making home ownership a dream come true for low-income, inner city families. For the majority of our homeowners, our program provides the only opportunity for them to realize the American Dream, and most represent the first members of their families to ever own their own home.

Habitat homeowners take required classes and pay a zero-interest mortgage.

Pride in home ownership extends to pride in one's neighborhood. So not only do we improve lives by adding stability and better housing conditions, but we work to transform inner city Rochester neighborhoods that have long been plagued by decay, poverty and crime.

Habitat for Humanity homeowners are full partners in the process:

• They contribute 500 hours of sweat equity, building the homes of others as well as their own
• They take required classes as part of their transition from renters to owners
• They get "a hand up, not a hand-out" through a zero-interest mortgage

Our families pay approximately $425 per month, which includes homeowners insurance, city and county property taxes and the principle payment that supports the building of future Habitat homes.

In Rochester, you'll find Habitat homes in the Marketview Heights, Upper Falls, Fulton Avenue, Brown Street and JOSANA/PAETEC Park neighborhoods.

Working with volunteers, house sponsors representing the corporate, faith-based and general community along with partner families, Flower City Habitat for Humanity is building houses and hope, one family, one street and one neighborhood at a time.