With volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent homes in partnership with selected families. Habitat houses are financed with affordable, no-interest loans and sold to partner families at no profit. The Affiliate then reinvests the monthly mortgage payments, along with those from other families, to finance other houses.
Habitat does not give away houses. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, partner families are required to invest hundreds of hours of "sweat equity" during the building of their house and the houses of others.