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Family Focus: The Beng-Mou Family
With constantly rising rent and high utility expenses, Emanuel Beng and Abuk Mou work diligently to support their five children. Emanuel is a custodian at a building in downtown Portland and Abuk works for a uniform production company. Even though both of them work full-time, it has been difficult for them to make ends meet. The family has rented a house in southeast Portland for the past four years that is in poor condition. Learn more.
Homeownership Program
Habitat for Humanity provides a unique opportunity for hardworking families to build and buy their own homes. Our homes are sold at no profit to our homeowner families, with a 1% down payment and a 0% interest mortgage. The mortgage lengths vary depending on the family income. Habitat adjusts the length of the mortgage so that the monthly mortgage payment (which includes taxes, insurance, and a condo fee if applicable) is no more than 30% of the homeowner’s gross monthly income. Habitat for Humanity homeowner mortgage payments are put into a revolving fund that helps pay for construction of future homes in the Portland/Metro East community.
The selection of families who will purchase homes from Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East will be done by the Family Selection committee in a way that does not discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or national origin or because all or part of the applicant’s income is derived from public assistance programs.
If you are an applicant with a disability and need to request accommodations to access any of our services, please contact Matina Kauffman at 503.287.9529 x22 or matina@habitatportlandmetro.org.
Sweat Equity
Every family is required to perform a minimum of 500 hours of volunteer work known as “sweat equity” within the Habitat organization before moving into their home. Sweat equity is an exciting learning experience in which you work with family, neighbors, and friends to build other families’ homes as well as your own. Working alongside volunteers and future neighbors to build your home and community is one of the most rewarding aspects of Habitat for Humanity. Besides working on the construction site, there are many other ways to complete sweat equity hours such as working at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, helping with homeowner outreach, and attending classes on home maintenance and financial fitness.
