Our Story

Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1987 by a group of dedicated volunteers who shared a vision to revitalize Cuyahoga County neighborhoods and help local hard-working, low-income families help themselves create strength, stability, and self-reliance. In 2022, we expanded our mission to also encompass neighborhoods and families in Lorain County. Cleveland Habitat is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating, and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their living conditions.

As part of a global, nonprofit housing organization operated on Christian principles that seeks to put God’s love into action by building homes, communities, and hope, Greater Cleveland Habitat is one of 1,400 local affiliates across the nation of Habitat for Humanity International and is the largest and most productive affiliate in Ohio.

We have completed and sold more than 300 decent and affordable homes in one of the most distressed urban areas in the United States. More than 680 households earning between 30-80% of the area median income have demonstrated a willingness to partner with Cleveland Habitat by investing sweat equity into the construction or rehabilitation of our homes, participating in required homeowner education classes, and signing a mortgage. More than 2,000 people have benefited from these partnerships, including approximately 1,600 children. 

Our Vision:

A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Our Mission:

Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

Non-Proselytizing Policy:

Habitat for Humanity and its affiliate organizations will not proselytize. Nor will Habitat work with entities or individuals who insist on proselytizing as part of their work with Habitat. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must adhere to or convert to a particular faith or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.

Habitat for Humanity International

Founded in Americus, Georgia, in 1976, Habitat for Humanity today operates around the globe, with more than 1,400 local affiliates in the United States and more than 70 national organizations around the world. Together, we have helped 6.8 million people improve their living conditions.

Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman, and child should have a simple, affordable place to live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all.

The Habitat Model

Habitat believes in providing families a ‘hand-up’, not a ‘hand-out’.

Habitat for Humanity is known throughout the world for its unique “partnership housing” model that founder Millard Fuller envisioned, where volunteers work alongside the families who will own the completed homes to make a lasting change in their communities. Habitat homeowners build in partnership by providing 250 sweat equity hours and attend extensive homeownership classes (finance, budgeting, home repair, neighbor relations).

Cleveland Habitat has adapted this model to not only build new houses in Cleveland but to rehabilitate and revitalize the existing housing stock through gut rehabs and minor exterior improvements for local residents.

Cleveland Habitat serves as the general contractor on all its rehabilitation and new construction projects. We are able to do what no other government or corporate entity can do–leverage every dollar donated with the planned use of volunteer labor and donated materials. Our homeownership program has become a critical part of a comprehensive solution to the housing crisis in the Cleveland area.

By working together–volunteers, congregations, corporations, individual supporters, and homeowner families–we nurture strong families, healthy neighborhoods, and a vibrant community. 

All are Welcome

Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity has an open-door policy: All who believe that everyone needs a decent, affordable place to live are welcome to help with the work, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, political views or any of the other distinctions that too often divide people. In short, Habitat welcomes volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds and also serves people in need of decent housing regardless of race or religion. As a matter of policy, Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliated organizations do not proselytize. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must either adhere to or convert to a particular faith, or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.