Home Revitalization Overview and Application

We accept applications on a rolling basis, and repairs are completed as we can fit them into our construction schedule.

To receive an application, please call Homeowner Services at 719-687-4447 and leave a message.

1. Finding Partner Families

Homeowners will be found through local churches, schools, city inspectors and newsletters in various papers. Any family meeting the original requirements of Habitat for Humanity of Teller County home ownership will be deemed eligible for NRI program eligibility.
Those who meet our requirements should fill out an application—available at the office or on our website. Applications should be submitted at the office.

2. Application Review

Data from the application is to be entered into the partner family info spreadsheet. This is a place to consolidate all notes and information on a family. Applications will be reviewed by the Family Selection Committee, who will meet on a bimonthly basis. The committee will determine whether the applicant can pay HFHTC for the work completed, gauge their willingness to partner, level of need, and review the scope of the work requested.

3. Home Visit

After the committee determines an applicant is qualified a home visit will take place. At least two committee members should visit a home. The purpose of this home visit will be two-fold. First, the visit will serve as an informal interview so that committee members may become better acquainted with the applicant and family. This casual meeting will allow committee members to get a better feel for the applicant’s willingness to partner and their need. Second, applicants’ homes will be reviewed to inspect all necessary work and to determine whether work requested can be completed and is within the scope of our program. The Home Visit worksheet should be used as the main tool to review the home.

After the application and home have been reviewed, the committee will select acceptable homeowners who are ready to be partners.

4. Project Scope Determination

The scope of the project will be determined during the Home Visit. The scope will be clearly explained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that the partner family and committee members who performed the home visit will sign (see Appendix for the MOU). Volunteers will also be made aware of the exact scope of the project. This will prevent confusion on workdays for the homeowner and the volunteers. It will be made clear to volunteers not to suggest to partner families that NRI could take on projects beyond those stated in the MOU.

5. Finding Project Sponsors

As in other affiliate projects, sponsors will be sought to help cover the initial costs of ABWK projects. There will be several levels of sponsors with different benefits for each level. Top financial sponsors will be able to cover the cost of the entire project. Lower level sponsors may group together or be grouped together with other lower level sponsors.
Sponsor involvement will vary by case. Some sponsors may choose to be involved solely from a financial standpoint while others may wish to participate in the work day(s) as well.
Once partner families have been selected they will be asked to write (or to help us write) a brief story about what NRI can do for them. These stories will be saved for potential sponsors to review. Sponsors then may choose which partner family they’d like to support. This will allow a more personal connection between sponsors and partner families.
The sponsor will be responsible for raising funds (or part of the funds) to complete work done on the house. Sponsor’s names will be listed on a banner next to the Neighnorhood Revitalization Initiative banner that will be posted in each yard where we are performing work for the duration of the project and for the following week.
A list of sponsors should be kept by the office liaison and the committee so that there is always awareness of who has been contacted, who has sponsored a project before, and who else could potentially become a sponsor.

6. Work Day

Once a sponsor is chosen HFHTC will work with them, the partner family, and the Volunteer Leader to schedule work days. On work days the partner family must provide bathroom facilities for workers. They will be expected to mingle with the volunteers even if they do their sweat equity in another way. If they are not going to work alongside volunteers they will be expected to provide lunch and afternoon snacks as well as drinks as a part of their sweat equity.
The Volunteer Leader will pick up the trailer and bring it to the work site. If the Volunteer Leader does not have the means to do this he or she can arrange for the affiliate to deliver the trailer. He or she will also be responsible for organizing groups and group leaders to maximize efficiency, give appropriate safety training, and check to ensure cleanup was well done. If volunteers have questions throughout the project they should contact the Volunteer Leader. The office liaison may stop by during the day to see the progress being made and make contact with the partner family.
When the work day is complete the Volunteer Leader will make sure the trailer is packed and secured, and that the job site is left in satisfactory condition. If the job is complete he or she will return the trailer to its home. Otherwise it will be left at the site, so long as the partner family doesn’t object. Any low supplies should be made known to the office liaison.

7. Project Follow-up

More than a week, but less than a month after the project is complete, the Volunteer Leader needs to go out to the site and evaluate the work done. He or she should do any necessary fixes and cleanup while they are there. They should also take a moment to talk with the homeowner(s) to answer any questions they might have and to find out whether they are satisfied with the work done.