Please note: We are now actively recruiting families for Sarnia, Petrolia and Forest near future builds.

Habitat for Humanity Sarnia/Lambton builds simple, decent, affordable homes for families in Sarnia and Lambton County.

Maximum & Minimum Income Thresholds

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides very strict guidelines in terms of how we select our partner families. Your gross annual family income must be a minimum of $22,000 to be considered as a Habitat for Humanity Sarnia/Lambton family.

HFH Sarnia/Lambton follows guidelines published by the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Service Ontario to determine the maximum annual gross income you can make, and still be considered for a one of our homes. These guidelines are based upon the number of bedrooms your family would need.

The guidelines state that the following should have their own bedroom:

  • Parent(s)
  • Opposite gender children over the age of 5
  • Adult children over the age of 18 still living at home
  • That there should be no more than two children sharing a bedroom

Following these guidelines, the maximum gross annual income you could earn and be considered for a Habitat Sarnia/Lambton home would be:

For a 4 or more bedroom home  $51,500
For a 3 bedroom home $43,000
For a 2 bedroom home  $37,500

Start by Answering These Questions…

  1. Have you applied for a mortgage at a bank and been turned down?
  2. Is your current housing unsafe, unhealthy, unaffordable, unsuitable or inaccessible?
  3. Do you have a stable, total gross annual income of at least $22,000?
  4. Is your debt-load low?
  5. If you have experienced a bankruptcy, has it been at least three (3) years since the bankruptcy was discharged?
  6. Would you be willing to partner with Habitat for Humanity Sarnia/Lambton to build and buy your own home?

If you answer “YES” most of these questions, you could be our next partner family!

How Does A Habitat Mortgage Work?

  • Habitat for Humanity Sarnia/Lambton builds your home
  • Once built, a professional real estate appraiser assesses the home for its Fair Market Value
  • Habitat for Humanity Sarnia/Lambton sells you the house for that Fair Market Value
  • A $0-down, 0%-interest, 20-year mortgage is prepared
    • There is no down payment
    • There is no interest charged
    • The mortgage is due 20 years from the date of sale…OR…when the family has paid off 50% of their mortgage – whichever comes first
  • If the family moves out of the home before 20-years:
    • Habitat for Humanity Sarnia/Lambton has first right of refusal on the buy-back of the home for its Fair Market Value, less 6%
    • Any increase in the market value of the home is shared between the homeowner and Habitat for Humanity Sarnia/Lambton depending upon how long the family has lived in the home, and according to the following schedule:
< 5 years 0% of increased market value shared
5 – 10 years 25% of market value shared
10 – 15 years 50% of market value shared
15 – 20 years 75% of market value shared
20 years 100% of market value is homeowner’s
  • Our partner families are required to report the gross household income of all non-student adults over the age of 18 annually

If you would like to discuss our homeownership program, please contact:

David Waters, Chief Executive Officer
Habitat for Humanity Sarnia/Lambton
519-339-7957 x 222
[email protected]

Please note: We are now actively recruiting families for Sarnia, Petrolia and Forest near future builds.

Or start an application here.