We take abandoned houses, some of which we’ve purchased for as cheap as $1.  Others have been donated.  We raise the money upfront (that’s where you come in!), and work with each family to create a beautiful home.  

We like to say:  “We don’t build a house FOR you… we build a house WITH you.”  Each homeowner works for at least 350 hours on their own house.  We team them up with neighborhood contractors, skilled workers, and other volunteers to renovate the house.  Much of our labor and supplies are donated…  so we are able to build houses for a low cost.  But we also like to say, “Simple does not mean ugly.” 

We pride ourselves in creating simple, beautiful homes for families in need of housing here in Philadelphia. We hold the mortgage at 0% interest, so house payments go directly towards the principal owed on the house.  Monthly payments are agreed upon with each family, with a goal of around one third of their income going towards the house payment.  With no interest, some families can fully pay off their homes in 10 years, or even less.  As families pays off their houses, we pay it forward – and it makes it possible to create more houses for more families in need.  

Oh, every family we work with gets so excited that they usually end up volunteering on the next house to help another family create their first home.