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Program Information

Ownership > Self-Help > Information

Who Participates

Participants in the Rural Self-Help program are mechanics, secretaries, social workers, beauticians, agriculture workers, and truck drivers. They are working class families who dream of owning their own home. The average family size is 4.5 and the average mortgage payment is approximately $450 a month. Family incomes range from $18,000 to $42,000 per year.



What are the houses like?

CHISPA houses are designed for large families, with three or four bedrooms. CHISPA's Self-Help houses are equipped with stoves, double car garages, dual pane windows and sliding glass doors, fire sprinkler systems, vaulted ceilings, central forced-air heating, oak cabinets, 40 year class A roofs, and a convenient floor plan. All houses have both front and back yards. The front yards are fully landscaped, complete with water sprinklers.



Applicant eligibility is determined by meeting specific criteria:

  • Capacity to work
  • A 10-12 month commitment to the program
  • United States residency
  • A good credit history
  • Low income status

Families participating in the Self-Help program work in groups of 12-14 families under the guidance of a construction supervisor. Each family commits to working 40 hours a week, until the homes are completed. This is in addition to existing obligations to jobs and families. In addition to learning construction techniques, families develop organizational skills and cultivate a deep sense of pride in the communities they build together. The county median income is used to determine low income status. 80% of the county median income is considered low-income and 50% is very low-income. Income qualification for Monterey County as of March 2003 was:



 Family Size

2

3

4

5

6

7

Low-Income (80%)

$36,550

$41,100

$45,700

$49,350

$53,000

$56,650

Very Low-Income (50%)

$22,850

$25,700

$28,550

$30,850

$33,100

$35,400


Funding Sources

Mutual Self-Help Housing Program homes can be funded through a number of different sources, which may vary by development.


Permanent loans are provided by:

  • USDA Rural Development section 502 loan funds

Down payment assistance is provided by:

  • Department of Housing and Community Development-HOME Program
  • Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco - Affordable Housing Program (AHP)

Technical Assistance is funded through;

  • Department of Housing and Community Development - California Self-Help Housing Program (CSHHP)
  • USDA Rural Development Technical Assistance Funds Section 523

Subdivision improvement are funded through:

  • Local banks
  • Housing Assistance Council Self-Help Opportunity Program
  • Community Development Block Grant