Partner with us for a place to call home.
Buyer Selection Criteria – King and Kittitas County
Homebuyers applying to Habitat for Humanity of Seattle-King County or Kittitas County must meet the following criteria:
Demonstrate a Need for Adequate and Affordable Housing
- Applicant must not have owned a home for the past 3 years.
- ONE of the following must be TRUE:
1. The applicant is “cost burdened” (defined as spending more than 35% of their gross income for housing).
2. The applicant is living in substandard or overcrowded housing.
3. The applicant is living in subsidized housing or a temporary housing, staying with family or friends, or living with a roommate.
Demonstrate Ability to Pay
- An applicant’s gross income must be less than 80% of the area median income based on family size (less than 50% or 60% for some areas).
- Monthly backend debt (including loan and/or credit card payments) must be no more than 43% of an applicant’s monthly gross (pre-tax) income.
- Applicants must be clear of any liens and judgments. Any bankruptcies must be discharged at least 4 years ago.
- Applicant must have worked in the same occupation for one year or at least two years if self-employed.
2022 Income Guidelines
Total household income must be below 80% of the area median income.
Note that unemployment income cannot be counted.
| Household Size | King County | Kittitas County |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $70,650 | $50,400 |
| 2 | $80,750 | $57,600 |
| 3 | $90,850 | $64,800 |
| 4 | $100,900 | $72,000 |
| 5 | $109,000 | $77,800 |
| 6 | $117,050 | $83,550 |
| 7 | $125,150 | $89,300 |
| 8 | $133,200 | $95,050 |
*Minimum Income varies depending on the home location
Residency
- Applicant must live or work in county they are applying.
- Applicant must use the home as their primary residence.
Willingness To Partner
Sweat Equity: A homebuyers applicant must be willing to complete 250 hours of sweat equity per household. In some cases, more hours are required based on the funding source. Buyers will know their requirement when they are selected. Sweat Equity is Habitat’s term for the labor Habitat homebuyers put into building their Habitat home. Hours are completed by working on the construction sites, in the Habitat stores, through homeowner education classes, or by working in our office. We will accommodate individuals who are not physically able to work on the construction site on a case by case basis.