About Us

Our mission is to reduce poverty housing and homelessness in the nation’s capital by building decent, affordable, energy-efficient homes for those in need.

Our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Non-proselytizing Policy: Habitat for Humanity and its affiliate organizations will not proselytize. Nor will Habitat work with entities or individuals who insist on proselytizing as part of their work with Habitat. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must adhere to or convert to a particular faith or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.

 

“No social problem…can be solved if someone doesn’t have a home.”
Henry Cisneros
Former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development

Our Impact

1988
DC Habitat was founded
52
Homes under construction
164
Homes completed
22,000+
Volunteers
A vacant, boarded up house in DC sits empty.

The Problem

In our nation’s capital—the seat of government and a symbol of our democracy—people struggle to provide the most basic need for their families: a home. More than half of D.C. renters live in unaffordable housing. One in four spend more than 50% of what they earn on housing, leaving precious little for necessities like food, transportation, and medical care, and nothing left to save for their future. Many live in homes that are cramped, unsafe, and in disrepair and families suffer from the effects of unstable housing: their health is worse, children perform poorly in schools, and there are fewer opportunities.

Learn how you can help

What We Do

We're building a D.C. where everyone has a safe, decent place to live. We build and sell affordable homes, provide low-cost home repairs, offer financial education, and advocate for policies that create more housing for struggling families in the nation’s capital. With the help of public, private, nonprofit, and foundation partners we help working families realize the dream of homeownership, breaking the cycle of poverty, and building strong communities. Because when families have a stable place to call home, they can stop getting by and start to thrive.

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Who We Serve

DC Habitat serves low-income families making 30-80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) who are in need of safe, affordable housing. Each family demonstrates a need, ability to pay, and a willingness to partner. They complete 200-300 hours of sweat equity working alongside our volunteers to help build their own homes and complete financial education training that gives them the tools to be successful homeowners. By partnering with families to help them build secure, independent futures through affordable homeownership opportunities we offer a hand up (not a handout) as a path to the middle class.

Become a Homeowner

Where We Build

Since DC Habitat was founded in 1988, we’ve built, rehabilitated, and repaired homes in all four quadrants of the District, and served more than 200 families. We are always on the hunt for new build sites and properties for rehabilitation so that we can maintain our robust construction pipeline.

See Where We've Built
DC Habitat's Passive Houses in Ivy City

How We Build

Long-term affordability is vital to DC Habitat and our homeowners. By building green, we minimize our footprint on the local environment and help ensure the success of the families we serve. As building supply and fuel costs continue to rise, it’s essential to provide these families with homes that are energy efficient, healthy to live in, and cost effective to maintain. Our building practices reduce negative impacts on the environment, promote healthy indoor air quality, and reduce energy costs while increasing the long-term affordability of our homes. We’ve built homes to EarthCraft, LEED, and Passive House standards.

Learn about Passive House