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For an affordable homeownership opportunity with Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity
Affordable Homeownership
Is homeownership your dream, but the costs of ownership are just too high?
Habitat for Humanity may be an answer: a hand up, not a handout.
If your household meets one or more of the following criteria, you may be eligible to become a Habitat homeowner partner
Housing Need
Applicants must demonstrate a need for housing. This can take many forms, and you do not need to meet every example. Your current housing may be unsafe, structurally damaged or not up to code, or overcrowded (including children of different sexes sharing a bedroom). You may also be paying more than 50% of your gross income for housing costs, including rent and utilities.”
Income Limits
Total household income must generally fall between 30% and 80% of the HUD Area Median Income (AMI) adjusted for family size. This may be a lot higher than you think. See the current limits for Washington County below, for example.
FY2026 HUD
Ability to Pay
Must demonstrate a reliable, verifiable income stream and capacity to pay an affordable mortgage as low a 0% and demonstrate $500 in savings for closing costs.
Military Service
Willingness to Partner
Be willing to volunteer hours with Habitat for Humanity. The requirement is 250 hours per adult with loved ones able to provide up to 50% of the service time. This does not necessarily require “banging nails” as there are other ways to help including preparing meals. Many of our homeowner partners are single female heads of house. Habitat also welcomes heads of house with physical disabilities.
Military service is not a requirement to become a Habitat homeowner, but it is one of the factors we may consider when reviewing applications. We ask whether you or someone in your household has served or is currently serving in the military. We recognize that service can take many forms, including service in the Reserves or National Guard, and that not everyone who has served identifies as a veteran. If you or someone in your household has served, please let us know so we can take that service into consideration.
Apply Today
804 N. Main St.
Northfield, VT
Accepting Applications Until Qualified Applicant is Selected
Downstreet Housing & Community Development and Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity (CVHFH) help income sensitive households to become homeowners as new homes are built by CVHFH and the selected homeowner. Buyers must apply for Downstreet’s Shared Equity Program and be selected by Central VT Habitat for Humanity's homeowner selection committee.
Click here for more information on the shared equity program
How our selection process works:
Complete and submit Downstreet and CVHFH's joint shared equity and homeownership application, or complete our online application. Downstreet will share the application with CVHFH.
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Return application to;
Downstreet Housing and Community Development
Attn: HOC
22 Keith Avenue
Suite 100
Barre, VT 05641 -
Downstreet and CVHFH will review and verify all the information in the the application.
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CVHFH will conduct a home visit at the applicant's current residence to verify the need of better housing.
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Applicants will be notified regularly about the status of their application, and will be contacted if additional information is needed.
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The selected Partner Homeowner will be notified that they were selected.
