Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville will buy Carlton Mobile Home Park.

Tuesday night, the nonprofit housing organization announced that the Bolton family, the longtime owners of the park, had accepted its offer.

Habitat’s offer to purchase was a counteroffer. In late May, the Boltons received an offer from an unnamed buyer to purchase the park for $7 million. The Virginia Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act requires mobile home park owners to give residents, or an organization representing residents, 60 days to come up with an offer on their own. Residents were notified of the sale, and the ticking clock, the first week of June.

After Charlottesville Tomorrow published a story in late June on the potential sale and what it could mean for residents, local groups started scrambling to save the park and the affordable housing that it provides.

It was a longshot, Habitat for Humanity leaders said at the time. But their offer was accepted.

Full story:

https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/habitat-for-humanity-will-buy-carlton-mobile-home-park/

Hey all! Im new to the community, but have been looking into Habitat as a serious housing choice. I think its a beautiful thing Habitat does for families and we could only be lucky enough to be considered. What are some things we could do to help others?

I have tried to contact our Restore to pick up several rooms of furniture to benefit Habitat for Humanity. I have tried 3 times, even calling another city to get a response. No one has called me back. I'm so disappointed that I may have to put this furniture in a landfill instead of helping someone.

I run our social media/website over here and will be starting on the TikTok platform today. Mainly to update people in our area what we have for sale at our ReStore and updates to programs and events we host. If you're already on it leave your @ in the comments so we can follow you. Slowly getting us on everything. linktr.ee/forthoodhabitat <- Our link will be there once we have set everything up.

Since we have to buy the house at fair market value, how particulate do you make sure everything is done correctly. I get volunteers were used for labor but I'm still paying the full price minus a $20k 2nd note to offset my 30% income. $300k mortgage is still crazy to me for such a program. Yet I'm paycheck to paycheck like everyone else.

Anyways , do they frown upon having to redue things if it doesn't look right? Yes it passed inspections based on safety and structural but I'm seeing things that can cause long term issues down the road .

Does anyone know if the Habitat location in charles county will perform repairs on a nonprofit that caters to the public?

How do your affiliates celebrate your volunteers? I used to make out to the site every Saturday but having a family now makes it difficult so I only make it out a few times a year I'm on the board of directors and I was wondering what your affiliate does to recognize the 'regulars"?

There is a 5 acre plot of land that currently surrounds my house (at the end of a dead end) and it now slotted to become a Habitat site with 8 homes. The plans I’ve seen so far will have a significant impact on my property and experience living there and I’d like to understand how Habitat works with the neighborhood to ensure their disruptions to existing residents are as low as possible.

1. Drainage and impacts on local wildlife. The land behind my house has quite a bit of wetlands, as well as culverts that currently serve as the drainage for all runoff coming off the end of the street. I imagine construction, if not done correctly would create flooding risks that could flood my property. Would they cover damages that result from this? This I imagine would also disrupt various nests and animal habitats. Does Habitat offer any reconciliation for neighbors that develop pest issues that result of construction disrupting nests and forcing the pests to move? Do they also scan for any endangered wildlife that may be living on the land?
2. Volunteer parking and clean up. I have read reports of residential streets being clogged with volunteer cars and no regard for construction debris left in the road to create hazards, flat tires, etc. especially being at the end of a dead end street, this could be problematic. Not sure what the average timeline of a build is but for 8 homes I imagine it could be a significant amount of time where constantly being blocked in your driveway and dodging nails in the road would get old.
3. Vetting of applicants and recipients. I have also read reports of recipients that, to keep it cordial, are not respectful and law abiding neighbors. How does Habitat decide who gets the houses and what sort of criteria do they look at?
4. Highway Noise- the current land and tree density significantly muffles the sounds from a nearby highway. How much does Habitat take into account the desire for existing neighbors to maintain a sense of peace and quiet?
5. Communication around timelines. How much does the project manager communicate with the abutters about timelines and status updates? Who is the best person I, as an abutter, should be communicating my concerns to?
6. Increased Traffic. The plans are taking an existing dead end street and turning into an avenue for 20+ cars to drive back and forth each day. What do they do to ensure the neighborhood remains safe for pets and pedestrians as a result of the increased traffic?

I was Accepted for the program!!! At what point do you find out when where and what you will be building or renovating?

A question about the requirements I keep on seeing. I have some collections on my credit, do they really mark you on that? I’m trying to work on my credit. I also see thing about not being approved because you don’t have kids and no partner, is this true?

Hello!
I am currently filling out an application for a Habitat for Humanity home where I live.
I have seen a lot of others on Reddit and online in general mention only people with kids who are single etc get these homes.
I am currently single, working full time, no kids, but the home I live in currently is unsafe, mold, mice, bugs, no electricity or heat in some rooms, etc. I have been unable to afford the insane rent prices where I live, so I have been staying with a family member but their house is in this condition and has not had any repairs in years.

Also, the one aspect of my situation that I feel will make me not pass this process of being accepted is I currently do not pay rent.
I pay out of cash savings when I can or to pay my worth of living there I usually help around the house or with groceries. The reason I do not pay rent is that my family member doesn't want me to, I recently left a DV relationship and gathered a lot of credit card debt to leave it, so instead of rent my family member wants me to be putting all my money towards my student loan debt and credit card debt which I have been doing every week.
Other than my debt being an expense, I pay for my car, phone, etc. but I feel that not paying rent will set me apart, and be why I am denied.

I was wondering if I should even bother applying due to this and the fact I do not have kids.

Also if anyone has any advice at all, please let me know...

(Edit/tiny frustration rant at bottom)

I’ll have to talk with my local habitat when the person is back in a couple of weeks but I don’t think we can even afford the habitat home??

Roughly 60k/yr. Mortgage company preapproved us for up to 350k (what the heck, that is too much). We have very little in savings. Was just told the habitat homes are 340k. Even with a $10k down payment assistance, that would be a lot. From my understanding of what the mortgage company told me, there is no haggling/negotiation. Everything is a set price.

We have excellent credit scores 820!!! and no debt! We were homeless 10 years ago and I’m very proud of how far we’ve come but we need more space with 3 babies. Income is not expected to increase significantly (sometimes there is a $2 pay bump lol).

Unless I’m missing something, how can anyone afford the habitat houses? Are habitat home prices negotiable? A mortgage should be 2.5 times your income. So with 60k/yr, that should be around 150k. I was so excited every step we kept progressing but now I’m a little down/heartbroken.

————-

EDIT: Spoke with my affiliate and basically I’m out of luck. The prices are set/non negotiable and “still cheaper than market value because the homes would be listed and sold for twice as much at bare minimum in a week”. They have had homes for $180k occasionally in the past BEFORE Covid but realistically that wont happen again. There is no 2nd silent mortgage or additional assistance to cover that extra % at my affiliate

I made several budgets: how we spend now, penny pinching, etc and discussed our finances with lender and a housing counselor. Both said we’d need more $ or a lower house price…If we made more $, we wouldn’t qualify (for habitat) but we obviously can’t afford their homes comfortably right now. Everything we make is put towards bills, food, necessities. I penny pinch: sales, reusing, gardening, rain water, etc. We have a splurge/fun allowance up to $50/mo which is usually a game, streaming service, books and/or special treats/food. Who’s actually able to buy these homes? Getting the $10k down payment assistance is considered really good but it’s just not enough. Even if we had 20% down to avoid PMI, it wouldn’t be enough/sustainable because of inflation/cost of everything else increasing vs income.

I saw the inside of the homes available that were move in “ready” but they looked like garbage (not really garbage but definitely unfinished, unprofessional, cheap and would take tons of work to fix obvious mistakes/laziness). We can “wait to see” and stay on their list but After a year you have to reapply (and pay all of the fees) then would get put back on the (bottom of the) list. Everything seems so secretive / getting info is so difficult and must be done in person. UGH! I feel so many emotions: heartbroken, mad/angry and sad. They’ve wasted so much of our time. I wish (and knew) I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up. Now I just keep tearing up whenever I think about it.

They said they just don’t have the funding so I’m looking into state and county assistance but that’s looking bleak

Does Habitat for Humanity ever need contractors to volunteer?

I’m a state licensed residential contractor and I’m at point in my career where I want to give back.

I’m able to do things like submit plans, handle permitting & inspections, shoot lot elevations, layout foundations, and coordinate subs.

I don’t see anything online about needing construction professionals to help though?

So today was the day they said they’d call everyone who was accepted & we still haven’t heard a single thing from them.. they have 1 hour left of being opened, I’m already accepting I’m not getting the call. I’m just so let down and sad, how come they don’t text/email you why they denied you?

Hello! I just found out about HFH and I have so many questions that I have to wait a month to get answered so maybe you guys can help? First, it says we have to make 60% of my county’s median income (marion county Indiana) I make 16:hr and my fiance makes 19.25/hr. Do we make too much or too little I’m confused on that part.

Second, how does the “home visit” go? Does it determine if you are in need of a home? I live in a decent townhome that got the “landlord special” (new paint) but can barely afford it. I don’t want to be disqualified because it might look nice to a stranger.

Third, if you’re chosen do you instantly start working towards the 300 hours to build your home?

This is for all who’ve gotten accepted- what did you say after they told you?

Good morning!

We did the application, processing fee, had our credit pulled, they contacted my husband's employer, did our 8 hours of sweat equity, and waited a month.

Today, July 5, we are getting a letter in the mail from them.

That's it...that's the whole update. To be honest, I don't feel like it's good news and I just needed a place to say it.

What questions do I need to ask? My mind is still in shock I believe.

Hello I was wondering if anyone here has gone thru the whole process for habitat for humanity recently? I live with my parents not kids. I can't really prove a need for having a home if I was to apply but my fiance has a child and also lives with their parents. We have been struggling to be able to buy a home because together we "make too much" for help but yet can't afford anything either. We have an opportunity for habitat for humanity and they are going to apply by themself and their child without me or my info being entered in. My question is if he get this home by himself would I be able to move in shortly after? Also I heard people stand in line to turn in the applications even up to 2 days prior to due date. Was this your experience as well? Also after getting married would I be able to be added to the home loan?

Together, my partner and I make over the income limit. We are not legally married and have a daughter together. Separately, he meets the minimum income and has had steady employment history compared to mine. Is he able to apply for the program just by himself if he meets all requirements? Or will we have to both be on the application since we’re living together?

Additionally, even if he applies by himself, will they take into account my income since we’re of the same household? TIA

I’ve seen some say it’s 30% of your income and some say the more sponsees on your build the lower the mortgage could be. Any insight?

I have 3 kids.15M, 14F, 7M. How will they determine how many bedrooms I’ll get? Square footage?

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to apply for the habitat homeowner program. Unfortunately I have no income right now. I am hoping to get approved for disability income (never been able to work) but that would put me at a maximum of $900 per month in my state. If I’m able to work, I can only make $5,000 a year to supplement it and that still wouldn’t be enough.

Does anyone have advice on how to meet that yearly minimum of $22,000?