Bend Area Habitat welcomes five families into program

Bend Area Habitat for Humanity is pleased to welcome five new families into our Partnership Program for Homeownership.

These five families work in our community grocery stores, medical offices, children’s programs and restaurants. Each have struggled to find affordable housing and look forward to the stability they can provide their children through Bend Area Habitat for Humanity’s Homeownership program.

This winter, Bend Habitat anticipates the selection of at least five more families. Interested candidates can learn more by visiting https://bendhabitat.org/homeownership/

In a recent study, with the support of Children First for Oregon, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon recently completed a statewide homeowner impact study. The findings confirm the belief that affordable homeownership is a critical strategy for meaningfully addressing the state’s housing crisis.

· 92% of children raised in Habitat homes graduated from high school, exceeding Oregon’s high school graduation rate by 17%.

· 63% of the children we serve received better grades since moving into their Habitat home.

· 58% of families report improved financial stability since moving into their Habitat home.

· 86% of families, when asked how long they planned to stay in their Habitat home, responded with either they can’t ever imagine leaving, or plan to stay for a very long time.

For more than 27 years, Bend Area Habitat has built and renovated 117 affordable homes serving qualified families and individuals in Bend. These homes have been sold with a low interest mortgage. By providing affordable housing to qualifying families and individuals, they are realizing an annual savings, on average, between $5,000-$6,000 which can be reinvested into the community; totaling between $645,000-$774,000.

Relative to the benefit and reinvestment in the community economically, the total property taxes paid by Habitat families since 1989 have eclipsed $1 million. Since Bend Area Habitat’s inception, assuming an average property value of $200,000, Habitat has added more than $17 million in assessed value of property to the community. By providing affordable homes, Habitat is making a significant impact on children and adults as well as benefitting this community as a whole.

About Bend Area Habitat for Humanity

Bend Area Habitat is dedicated to changing lives by providing affordable homeownership services for qualified families and individuals in Bend. Since 1989, Bend Habitat has built 117 homes and repaired 70 more, providing more than 600 children and adults a safe, secure and healthy home. Habitat for Humanity International was named Top 100 Builder of Affordable Housing in the U.S. in 2016.

Bend Area Habitat also has a ReStore, a used and surplus home improvement center, in Bend, that accept s and sell s a wide variety of building materials, appliances and home furnishings. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the ReStore benefit Bend Habitat’s mission. https://bendhabitat.org/ 541.385.5387.