Habitat for Humanity Takes Nearly Two-Thirds of SHOP Funds

Habitat for Humanity International is receiving a $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP). The new grant represents 63.3 percent of the total $9.9 million SHOP budget.

The SHOP grants, also known as “sweat equity” grants, enable Habitat for Humanity to team up with families for the building of affordable housing. Over the past two decades, the nonprofit received $210 million in SHOP funds, which it used to create $1.2 billion for community development.

“With these funds, Habitat will help more people achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter,” said Larry Gluth, Habitat for Humanity International’s senior vice president for U.S. and Canada. “Since 1996, when the SHOP program was created, through 2015, Habitat partnered with 65,251 new homeowners and completed 17,431 homes with SHOP funds. The homebuyers were predominately below 50 percent AMI and now have $394 million in equity.”