February 20, 2023
(courtesy of Charlotte Magazine; originally published August 25, 2021)
Once you recognize a Habitat house, you’ll likely realize you’ve been seeing them all over the place. Habitat for Humanity is one of America’s great success stories in the difficult realm of affordable housing. Through nearly four decades, Charlotte has played a big role in this national phenomenon.
Millard and Linda Fuller started Habitat in Georgia in 1976. They’d joined Koinonia Farm, a back-to-the-land religious community intent on interracial fellowship and simple living. Many of its neighbors resided in shacks without running water.
Millard Fuller worked out what became the Habitat model. Volunteers pitched in to build small, carefully planned cottages. The future homeowners worked as well, contributing 300 hours of “sweat equity.” Habitat provided a no-interest loan, which the resident family repaid over the years. That, in turn, helped fund more houses.
| Household Size | Bedrooms |
|---|---|
| Single adult or couple with no children | 2 |
| Single adult or couple with 1 child | 3 |
| Single adult or couple with 2 children | 3 |
| Single adult or couple with 3 children | 4 |
| Single adult or couple with 4 children* | 4 |
| Single adult or couple with 5 or more children | 5 |
| Single adult or couple with 4 children where age (13 or over), age difference (4 yrs or more apart), or gender doesn't allow sharing | 5 |
House sizes for households with multiple adults or adults who are not married will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
* Children of the same gender who are under 13-years-old and fewer than 4 years apart in age could be required to share a room.
