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What is Self-Help Housing?

Mutual Self-Help Housing consists of families working together to build their own homes. With the assistance of a skilled staff, an association of generally 4 to 10 families is formed. These families provide at least 65% of the labor necessary to build the homes.

Most families use Rural Development's 502 Homeownership Loan Program to finance their homes. This is a low interest loan based on the family's income and is available to low and very low income families in rural areas with good credit history. The families generally save between $10,000 and $30,000 in housing costs using this sweat equity method.

The sponsor organization receives a Section 523 Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grant from Rural Development to operate the self-help program. The nonprofit grantee takes on the responsibilities of training the families in construction as well as homeownership skills, keeping the families' loan records, ordering the construction materials, choosing the sites and house plans, recruiting the families and keeping them motivated throughout the construction process.

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"Across this nation, our homeownership program has enjoyed great success, but we will not rest on past accomplishments," USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager said. "President Barack Obama has made homeownership a cornerstone of his economic recovery plan by taking decisive action to protect the homes of existing owners and to provide opportunities for all Americans seeking to buy their first home."

"This federal grant by the USDA and KHIC will allow qualifying families in Clinton County to have a place to call home," U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell said. "These programs are so important to Kentucky, and I am pleased the funding will be provided for this worthwhile program."

Since 1970, Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Corporation (SEWHC) has operated a self-help housing program, helping numerous families and individuals achieve the American dream of homeownership. Now the SEWHC legacy has spanned across three generations.

Testimonials

This Program is a Miracle

“This program is a miracle for me. For me, the opportunity to get on my feet financially, even start my own business, own an environmentally safe home, and learn new skills has been incredibly empowering.” –Johanna, Self-Help Program Participant

Yes, it was worth it!

“Many have asked me, ‘Jim was it worth it?’ You see because it wasn’t easy, it was probably the hardest year of my life. Because the rest of my life didn’t stop so I could build our house. I still had to work my job, I still had family commitments and community commitments that I had to fulfill.

When I come home early in the morning and I look in on my children sleeping in their own bed, in their own room, with peace on their little faces, I say, YES it was worth every extra hour, every missed meal, every drop of sweat, yes it was worth it!!” -James, Self-Help Program Participant

New Skills + New Home = New Life

In 1993, Cindy, a single mother, wanted to make a better life for herself and her children, yet found much more than shelter through the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. She was on welfare and was unemployed, not knowing what she wanted to do with her life, but knowing this was not the life she had envisioned. The family lived in a small, crowded apartment with no yard. Her main concern was providing a good home for her four children.

Her experience led to a new set of skills, and ultimately, a job that took her off welfare. Cindy had no prior construction experience when she joined the program. After building her own home through CCI, she became employed with the agency as a Construction Assistant. She later became the Construction Supervisor for Community Concept Inc.’s (CCI) self-help housing program.

Region III Self-Help Housing © 2011
E-mail: info@selfhelphousingspotlight.org