Housing poverty in the United States

  • Habitat affiliates build in all 50 U.S. states Habitat affiliates build in all 50 U.S. states
  • Builds improve homeowners’ self-esteem, well-being, family health and neighbourhood pride. Builds improve homeowners’ self-esteem, well-being, family health and neighbourhood pride.
  • Projects: construction, renovation, training, empowerment Projects: construction, renovation, training, empowerment

We have been fighting housing poverty in the United States since 1976 when our charity was founded.

What's it like?

People across the USA partner with Habitat and its affiliates to build or improve a place they can call home.

Habitat homeowners build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With our help, those homeowners achieve the independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.

History

Habitat affiliates build in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Each Habitat affiliate is an independent, locally managed organisation which coordinates local construction and selects partner families without regard to race, religion or ethnic group.

Empowering women across the USA

The overwhelming majority of people living in poverty around the world, including the USA, are women and girls. As a…

The overwhelming majority of people living in poverty around the world, including the USA, are women and girls.

As a group, they are also disproportionately impacted by inadequate and unsafe housing. To reduce this reality, Habitat for Humanity’s programmes help empower women in their lives and communities.

Two examples of this include:

  • Providing women with a home they own has a positive impact on their economic and social well-being and that of their communities.
  • Financial education leads to greater investments in their homes but additionally, controlling their own finances provides a woman with greater confidence and momentum to dream bigger.
USA Volunteers

The impact of a home on poverty and self-esteem

A survey of 320 Habitat for Humanity homeowners (more than 85% of them women) in 44 U.S. cities indicated significant increases in areas of homeowners’ self-esteem, well-being, overall family health and neighbourhood pride.

  • More than 98% reported moderate to high self-esteem after moving into their Habitat home
  • 53% felt that their Habitat home has helped improve their job opportunities
  • 57% indicated that adults in the home are furthering their education
  • 90% of women surveyed felt a sense of power being part of a Habitat build