 | |
| Founded | Americus, Georgia (1976) |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit, Interest group |
| Location |
|
| Services | "Building simple, decent and affordable housing" |
| Fields | Protecting human rights |
Key people
| Jonathan Reckford, CEO |
| Website | www |
Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or simply Habitat, is an international, non-governmental, and nonprofit organization, which was founded in 1976 by Linda and Millard Fuller. Habitat has been devoted to building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing, a self-described "Christian housing ministry," and has addressed the issues of poverty housing all over the world. The international operational headquarters are located in Americus, Georgia, United States, with the administrative headquarters located in Atlanta.
There are five area offices located around the world: United States and
Canada; Africa and the Middle East (located in Pretoria, South Africa);
Asia-Pacific (Manila, Philippines); Europe and Central Asia
(Bratislava, Slovakia); and Latin America and the Caribbean (San Jose,
Costa Rica).
Community-level Habitat offices act in partnership with and on
behalf of Habitat for Humanity International. In the United States,
these local offices are called Habitat affiliates; outside the United
States, Habitat operations are managed by national offices. Each
affiliate and national office is an independently run, nonprofit organization.
Affiliates and national offices coordinate all aspects of Habitat home
building in their local area, including fundraising, building site selection, partner family selection and support, house construction, and mortgage servicing.
The mission statement of Habitat for Humanity is "Seeking to put
God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to
build homes, communities and hope". Homes are built using volunteer labor and Habitat makes no profit on the sales. In some locations outside the United States, Habitat for Humanity charges interest to protect against inflation.
This policy has been in place since 1986. Habitat has helped more than 4
million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve more than 800,000
homes since its founding in 1976, making Habitat the largest
not-for-profit builder in the world.
History
Habitat for Humanity traces its origins to the time Linda and Millard Fuller spent at Koinonia Farm in 1965. The couple had a successful business in Montgomery, Alabama before they started a new life of Christian service.
Qualifications for home ownership
A 2007 construction site in the United States
According to the official website,
The affiliate's family selection committee chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the loan. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families who receive Habitat houses.
There are several checks and balances in place to protect both Habitat and the potential homeowner:
Habitat for Humanity performs an extensive background check
on potential homeowners, including character references, employer
interviews, and audit of finances. The applicants are required to sign
release forms authorizing Habitat for Humanity to perform this
background check. This ensures that Habitat's risk is reasonable when
selling a home and that the applicant family is in a suitable financial
position to take on the responsibility of a mortgage.
There are typically a First and a Second Mortgage. The Second
Mortgage is put in place to protect any equity that is left that is not
captured in the first mortgage. The homeowners pay down the first
mortgage, and after a stated period of time (which varies from affiliate
to affiliate) of living in the same home, the Second Mortgage is
forgiven (however, it is not always forgiven). However, The Right of
First Refusal stays in force until the mortgage is paid in full.
Homeowners are usually expected to put approximately 500 hours of "sweat equity" into their own or other project homes, although this amount may vary by location, the number of wage-earning
adults in each family, and the recipients' health issues. This sweat
equity acts as the down payment on the home. Every hour spent earning
this sweat equity must be approved and signed off on by an official
Habitat for Humanity representative. Sweat equity has no monetary value
and cannot be 'refunded'.
Once construction on the home is finished and the sweat equity is
completed in full, the homeowner purchases the home with a 0% to 2%
interest mortgage (in the United States). With monthly payments
(including taxes and insurance) that do not exceed 30% of the
household's monthly income.
Mortgage payments from homeowners are deposited into a locally
administered "Fund for Humanity", the proceeds of which go toward future
construction. In an effort to discourage predatory lenders from
targeting Habitat homeowner families, mortgage agreements require the
Habitat for Humanity affiliate the right of first refusal.
Until the mortgage is paid in full, a Habitat home has no equity and
can only be sold back to Habitat for Humanity. Should a homeowner family
decide to sell their home during the period of their mortgage, the
affiliate will buy it back at market value. Often affiliates will have a
shared appreciation model that will allow the affiliate to recapture a
portion of the equity in the home depending on the time the family lived
in the home and paid on the mortgage.
The typically no interest mortgage payments permit a family the
freedom to manage their finances more effectively, the end goal being to
provide a 'hand up' and not a 'hand out' as it were. In some locations,
attendance at money management courses is mandatory for potential
homeowners.
Building and other affiliate operations
At
Habitat's Global Village and Discovery Center in Americus, Georgia,
visitors can experience the devastating nature of poverty housing and
see life-size Habitat houses from around the world
Habitat relies on volunteer labor in order to construct simple and
affordable homes with its partner families, as well as to build community and civil society in the areas in which it works. Many churches
and other houses of worship (synagogues, temples, mosques etc.) sponsor
houses and provide a large amount of the volunteers from their
congregations. Some corporations
and businesses that value good corporate citizenship provide financial
support to the projects and/or donate materials for use in construction.
Many politicians and celebrities have volunteered with Habitat,
reflecting its profile as a highly regarded non-profit.
Green building
Habitat
builds simple houses with locally appropriate materials. In many
communities, Habitat affiliates and national offices are exploring areas
of green building, including energy efficiency and sustainability. In the United States, many affiliates are building homes that are LEED certified. In 2010, Habitat for Humanity Tajikistan won a national Global Energy Award for their resource-saving bio-sand water filter project.
Tithe
Habitat
affiliates and national offices contribute a percentage of the
unrestricted funds they raise locally to be used in building homes by a
Habitat national office overseas. For instance, Habitat New Zealand's
tithe helps to support an equal number of housing outcomes abroad,
predominantly in the Pacific region.
Charging interest
Habitat
homeowners in the United States and Canada pay no interest on their
no-profit mortgages. Some Habitat for Humanity affiliates outside the
United States adjust the no-profit loans to compensate for the inflation
rate in their area, with the goal that "the repayments from one house
should ideally build another house of the same design".
Habitat ReStores
Habitat ReStores are retail
outlets that sell new and used building and household materials donated
by small businesses, large companies, job sites, and individuals.
Proceeds from ReStores help local affiliates fund the construction of
Habitat houses within the community. Many affiliates across the United
States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand operate successful
ReStores—some of which raise enough funds to build an additional 10 or
more houses per year.
Many ReStores cover the administrative costs of the Habitat affiliate
so that 100% of donor funds can be put toward home construction and
rehabilitation projects.
Ongoing programs
Habitat
for Humanity International develops and supports special programs to
engage volunteers from all walks of life in Habitat's mission and work.
Solid Ground
Solid
Ground is a global advocacy campaign of Habitat for Humanity
International focused on improving access to land for shelter. The Solid
Ground campaign has four sub-themes: secure tenure, gender equality,
slum upgrading, and disaster resilience. Through the Solid Ground
campaign, Habitat for Humanity and partner organizations are working in
37 countries around the world to change land policy and systems at all
levels of government.
A Brush With Kindness
Habitat for Humanity's A Brush With Kindness
is a locally operated program serving low-income homeowners who
struggle to maintain the exterior of their homes. The program is a
holistic approach to providing affordable housing and assisting
communities as well as families. Groups of volunteers help homeowners
with exterior maintenance. This typically includes painting, minor
exterior repairs, landscaping, weatherization and exterior clean-up.
Global Village Trips
As
suggested by the name, Habitat for Humanity International places a
strong emphasis on building homes around the world. Volunteers today can
build with Habitat affiliates in many locations on Global Village
Trips.
After having gone through training, trip leaders organize travel plans
with the support of the Americus-headquartered Global Village
Department, first formally established in 1988. Participants from all
over are then able to register for trips to their destination of choice.
Teams generally number between eight and fifteen, with trips usually
lasting between nine and fourteen days.
According to the website, Global Village Trips offer volunteers the opportunity:
to experience another culture while making a difference in the lives of others ... work alongside members of the host community in building decent, affordable housing ... [and]help raise awareness of the burden of poverty housing and create a true global village of love, community, homes and hope.
National Service
National Service refers to national service programs that are funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The goal of the Habitat for Humanity National Service program is to
help local Habitat affiliates operate more efficiently and effectively
by maximizing existing volunteers, increasing capacity for new
volunteers and most importantly, meeting the housing needs of
communities by building more houses for low-income families.
AmeriCorps
is a network of national service programs that engage more than
75,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs
in education, public safety, health and the environment. Habitat for
Humanity International was one of the first nonprofits contacted by the
Corporation for National and Community Service when AmeriCorps was being
formed in 1993. In the 2008–2009 program year, over 500 AmeriCorps
members at affiliates all over the country will help build nearly
2,000 houses and recruit and retain nearly 200,000 community volunteers.
Those volunteers will provide an estimated 1,600,000 volunteer hours.
The members themselves will contribute 850,000 hours.
RV Care-A-Vanners
RV
Care-A-Vanners is a volunteer program in which volunteers travel in
their personal recreational vehicles, making stops at local Habitat
affiliates to assist in house construction and renovations. RV
Care-A-Vanner volunteers each pay their own expenses, which may be tax
deductible.
Many RV Care-A-Vanners help local Habitat affiliates raise the
awareness of poverty housing and homelessness by speaking to churches,
civic groups and local media. Individual Care-A-Vanners often make
donations to their local Habitat affiliate and some even organize
fund-raising teams and sponsor entire houses.
Women Build
Originating
in 1991 with a Charlotte, North Carolina home built entirely by a crew
of female volunteers, Habitat's Women Build program encourages women to
make a difference by building homes and communities. Women Build
projects provide an environment in which women can feel comfortable
learning construction skills they might not otherwise have the
opportunity to learn. Globally, more than 1,400 homes have been
completed by Women Build volunteers.
Women all over the United States participate in National Women Build Week. The week-long build leading up to Mother's Day
is designed to showcase the skills of Women Build volunteers and to
motivate new volunteers to help families and change communities.
Lowe's
is a major sponsor and underwriter of Women Build, and has generously
supported each National Women Build Week. In addition to competitive
grant opportunities, Lowe's offers a series of free how-to clinics for
U.S. Women Build affiliates.
Youth Programs
Habitat
for Humanity's Youth Programs seek to involve young people, ages 5 to
25, in Habitat's mission and work. In accordance with U.S. federal
guidelines, youth must be at least 16 years old to be on an active
construction site, and must be 18 years old to engage in certain build
activities.
Habitat's Youth Programs include programs such as:
Campus chapters
A
campus chapter is a student-led, student-initiated organization on a
high school or college campus that partners with the local Habitat
affiliate to fulfill the four functions of a campus chapter. The four
functions of a campus chapter are: building, fundraising, advocating and
educating.
Collegiate Challenge
Habitat for Humanity runs a year-round alternative break program known as Collegiate Challenge for student groups age 16 to 25.
Although summer, fall, and winter break trips are available, most
participants go during their spring break. Collegiate Challenge
participants travel to host sites throughout the United States and spend
one week working in partnership with the local Habitat affiliate, the
local community, and partner families to help eliminate poverty housing
in the area. Host affiliates provide housing for the groups, as well as a
place to shower and cook meals for the week. More than
14,000 volunteers took part in Collegiate Challenge in 2011, making it
one of the world's largest alternative break programs. Since its
inception in 1989, nearly 240,000 students have participated in
Collegiate Challenge and have donated more than $25 million to Habitat
for Humanity affiliates.
Learn and Build Experience
For
one week during the summer, students ages 16 to 18 can experience
Habitat's work outside of their communities. In addition to a week of
building, students also learn about the need for Habitat through
educational activities.
Youth United
Youth
United is a Habitat for Humanity program run by youth and for youth
ages 5 to 25. It brings young people together from all walks of life to
play active roles in transforming their communities. Youth United
mobilizes young people to sponsor and build a house with their local
Habitat affiliate.
Annual events
Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
became involved with Habitat for Humanity in 1984 and has since become
its highest profile proponent. He has been involved in fund-raising and
publicity as well as actual homebuilding, taking part in the annual
Jimmy Carter Work Project "blitz build".
In 2008, Habitat for Humanity celebrated the 25th annual building
project with the Carters and renamed it to include Mrs. Carter. The
Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project focused on supporting the Gulf
Coast community seeking to rebuild after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Despite periodic downpours, volunteers got most of the work done during
one week in June to finish building and fixing 60 houses and frame
48 more.
In November 2009, volunteers joined Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in the Mekong River
region of Southeast Asia. Houses were built in the countries of
Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Yunnan Province in China. The
week-long project served nearly 166 families. It also began a five-year Habitat for Humanity initiative to work with 50,000 families across the five countries.
Home Builders Blitz
During
Home Builders Blitz 2008, more than 1,000 building industry
professionals in 110 Habitat for Humanity affiliates built 263 new homes
across the United States. This was the second national Home Builders
Blitz program, which was begun on the local level in 2002 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since then, the professional homebuilders industry has supported Habitat by building more than 800 homes.
Tom Gipson, a Habitat volunteer and professional homebuilder who
started the Home Builder's Blitz program, was named the "Ultimate
Volunteer" in a 2009 contest by ABC's "The View".
Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon
The
AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon is an annual signature event that brings
together AmeriCorps members and alumni in a week long blitz build. The
Build-a-Thon provides the host affiliate an opportunity to advance and
highlight local house-building efforts. It also serves as an annual
meeting of AmeriCorps volunteers who might otherwise lack any
opportunity to meet.
The event is held across the United States and highlights a
different Habitat affiliate each year. In the past, Build-a-Thons have
occurred in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; the Gulf Coast; Dallas, Texas; Mobile
County, Alabama; and Jacksonville, Florida.
The 2010, Habitat AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon was held in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, hosted by Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity. This was the
second consecutive year that Cedar Valley Habitat hosted the event. More
than 500 Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps National and AmeriCorps VISTA
members from across the country came together to build, rehabilitate and
repair more than 20 homes. In 2015, the Build-a-Thon was held in New
Orleans in remembrance of Hurricane Katrina.
Other special initiatives
Habitat's Gulf Coast Recovery
Habitat initiated a special program to help restore housing to the areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The effort was focused on getting local affiliates in the area back on
their feet and prepared to build for their communities. It also became a
catalyst for other organizations, like the St. Bernard Project,
corporations and the government to provide help and support in
rebuilding the area and has received considerable national media
attention. Habitat restored around 300 homes for Katrina efforts.
As part of Operation Home Delivery, housing components were assembled in nearby less-affected locations such as Jackson, Mississippi,
allowing much of the construction to be accomplished while basic
infrastructure was being restored. Pre-constructed components were then
shipped to the affected areas and built at a faster rate. Within two
months of the time of the disaster, construction had begun on houses in
the Louisiana cities of Covington and Slidell, near New Orleans.
Harry Connick Jr., and Branford Marsalis served as honorary chairs of Habitat's hurricane rebuilding program, and one of the many projects along the Gulf Coast is the Musicians' Village at New Orleans Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat's Efforts in Haiti
On 12 January 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti just 10
miles west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The earthquake damaged almost
190,000 houses, of which 105,000 were entirely devastated. Of the more
than two million affected survivors, 500,000 are still displaced today.
Soon after the earthquake, Habitat set a goal of serving 50,000 families
over five years, helping them move toward safe, secure and permanent
places to call home.
Habitat has reached numerous milestones after the earthquake
including over 155 houses as well as another 100 houses planned to be
built starting 23 November of this year. Aside from direct building of
housing, more than 4,000 families received transitional or upgraded
shelters, more than 350 houses were repaired and rehabilitated, more
than 24,500 emergency shelter kits were distributed, and more than
12,000 damage assessments were conducted (Habitat For Humanity
International). During this time, an entire community was transformed
and lives were changed. More than 4,450 Haiti citizens were trained in
construction techniques, financial literacy, disaster risk reduction and
business development, which resulted in job opportunities for over 700
Haitians (Habitat For Humanity International).
Habitat's Bangladesh Restoration
Habitat played an integral in the restoration of Bangladesh after Cyclone Sidr
devastated 31 districts. A partnership with Japan Platform to help
build transitional shelters was on-going when the disaster hit in
November 2007. All phases of this project completed at the end of
February 2009.
Habitat responded to the cyclone by pledging $250000 to provide
technical assistance. Prior to the construction of transitional homes,
immediate necessities such as food, water and medicine were distributed
to affected families.
A Habitat Resource Center was built in phase one for technical
planning, coordination and management of the entire project. It also
served as the manufacturing and storage center for construction
materials. A total of 480 houses were built at the end of a 3 phase
construction process. Each house was provided with proper sanitation
using contributions from UNICEF
Bangladesh and HFH Great Britain. These transitional shelters were
designed to be built by volunteers and unskilled workers in about eight
hours on an area that had been prepared by families. This shelter
provides a strong and cyclone-resistant core structure to protect
residents from severe weather. Extensions to the home when the family
has the financial means can be done by adding walling to the existing
structure.
In bid to raise the local awareness of these transitional homes,
HFH Bangladesh organized a series of training and familiarisation
workshops for locals. 16 sessions were held between March and December
2008.
In total, 12 communities were worked on by HFH Bangladesh. Structures had been built in the regions of Ghotoker Andua,
Andua, Kalagachiya, Pipra Khali and Mirzaganj villages in Mirzaganj
Union. In the Amragachia Union the regions of Uttar Amragachia, Dakkhin
Amragachia, Shoilabunia, Kismat Shoilabunia and Amragachi villages also
had structures built there.
Making it Better in the Long Term with Solar
There
are many projects that go hand in hand with the house building projects
that allow these homes to supply their own electricity through the use
of solar energy. U.S. companies such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company have partnered with Habitat for Humanity to provide complete solar grids for several homes. Other solar projects, mostly in the U.S., like one in San Francisco, as well as efforts of individual citizens are trying to make a difference by raising funds to get more solar homes built.
Who Says You Can't Go Home
The video for rock band Bon Jovi's song "Who Says You Can't Go Home"
features Habitat for Humanity volunteers as well as the band building
homes as part of Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia, close to Bon
Jovi's native New Jersey. It reflects Jon Bon Jovi's
dedication to the organization and highlights the importance of
community unity, faith, and involvement. The popularity of Bon Jovi
increased Habitat's exposure and influenced new volunteers to donate
their time and money to Habitat.
Habitat Bicycle Challenge
The Habitat Bicycle Challenge (HBC), a nine-week, coast-to-coast bicycle trip undertaken to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven
and to increase awareness of Habitat for Humanity in general, took
place annually from 1995 to 2007. Prior to embarking in June on the
4,000-mile (6,400 km) trek, participants engaged in a seven-month
fundraising campaign for Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven. Once
on the road, they served as roaming advertisements for Habitat and gave
nightly presentations explaining Habitat's mission to their hosts,
usually church congregations. They also took part in builds with local
Habitat chapters along the way. At its height, HBC attracted about
90 participants a year, all aged 18 to 24 and about half coming from Yale University. Each rider traveled one of three routes: New Haven to San Francisco, New Haven to Portland, or New Haven to Seattle.
By 2004 HBC had become the single largest yearly fundraiser for any
Habitat affiliate in the world, raising about $400,000 a year. However,
amid growing safety concerns, Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven
was forced to announce the cancellation of HBC in September 2007.
Bike and Build,
a similar program, was founded in 2002 by a former HBC rider. Though
not directly affiliated with Habitat for Humanity, it carries on the
legacy of the Habitat Bicycle Challenge.
Appetite for Construction Tour
In the fall of 2007, alternative rock bands Switchfoot and Relient K went on the Appetite for Construction Tour,
partnering with Habitat while raising awareness for the organization
and donating a dollar per ticket sold. The tour was highly successful,
raising over US$100,000 for donation to the cause.
The Wall Project
Wesley College, Melbourne
is carrying out a joint fundraising and awareness program through
theatrical production and is aiming to raise money to build education
facilities in Afghanistan.
Criticism
Safety of volunteers
Like
much construction activity, which carries inherent risk, Habitat for
Humanity construction has led to some serious injuries or deaths to
volunteers.
Consequently, safety is a priority and important consideration on
Habitat construction sites, and volunteers are given safety orientations
and they are required to work with skilled construction supervisors on
the build sites.
Depending on the type of operation, OSHA rules may be generally
applicable to Habitat construction sites, similar to for-profit
builders. In some cases, Habitat affiliates have local partnerships with
OSHA on safety programs.
Cost-effectiveness
An article in the Weekly Standard, an American conservative opinion magazine, questioned the cost-effectiveness of Habitat building projects. To estimate cost effectiveness, all costs associated with building a Habitat home must be used, including the cost of volunteer time and training.
For houses constructed by foreign volunteers, travel and associated
costs paid by the volunteers are also significant. Including these costs
raises the question whether building a house this way is an efficient
use of resources. Particularly in developing countries where labor is
relatively inexpensive, unemployment is high, and local currency is
cheap, purchasing local labor and supplies may result in an increase in
the number of houses built.
Cost-effectiveness, however, is not Habitat for Humanity's only
concern, and additional benefits arise from the Habitat model that
differentiate it from other low-cost housing. For example, involving
volunteers in the construction of houses not only makes the homes more
affordable, but it also builds community understanding, awareness and
support for affordable housing and generates revenue for local Habitat
organizations. Focusing solely on cost effectiveness also does not
address another important aspect—the education and training of the
homebuyers. Habitat's homebuyers are also involved in the construction
of their home and the homes of others in the program.
Many Habitat organizations also provide training in budget management
and other skills. These requirements, known as "sweat equity", teach
low-income homebuyers valuable construction and other skills that help
them to maintain their home over the long-term. Another major aspect of
Habitat's program is Habitat's revolving "Fund for Humanity." Habitat
does not give homes away; rather, in addition to contributing sweat
equity, Habitat homebuyers pay an affordable no-profit mortgage based on
their ability to pay. These mortgage payments are used to support
building additional homes in partnership with low-income families, thus
contributing to the sustainability of Habitat's homebuilding program.
Habitat has been criticized for its slow and inefficient
rebuilding efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita.
After 18 months, Habitat had completed under 500 homes. A major factor
was Habitat's reliance on working through local affiliates, who are not
equipped to undertake large-scale rebuilding efforts.
Work continued and Habitat completed its 1,000th hurricane-response
home by May 2007. By the fifth anniversary of Katrina, more than 2,716
homes had been completed. In total, Habitat's Gulf Coast affiliates
built, repaired or rehabbed more than 5,400 houses as part of the
hurricanes Katrina and Rita effort.
Habitat affiliates in the region have remained some of the
largest homebuilders in their areas and have received numerous awards
and acknowledgements for their work in building quality homes.
Partnering with low-income families
Families are required to show an ability to pay for their home in addition to the need for housing. With these requirements, homeless and low-income
families may fail to qualify for a Habitat home. Most American Habitat
affiliates perform credit checks and criminal record checks on
applicants before partnering with them for the construction of a home.
Some critics therefore allege that Habitat misrepresents the nature of
its work by partnering with families that might be considered nearly
"middle-income." To address this, many Habitat affiliates in the United States partner only with families that fall below the government-set "poverty line" for their area. The current poverty rate is measured according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines.
The credit and income requirements help ensure that Habitat applicants are able to maintain their houses. Foreclosure
rates on Habitat houses are hard to measure. While Habitat claims a
foreclosure rate of less than 2%, this number is unsubstantiated due to
the fact that Habitat properties are not initially deeded to the buyer,
and revert to the local Habitat chapter if a buyer defaults. The
homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are used to build more Habitat
homes.
Ousting of the founder
Habitat's founder, Millard Fuller,
and his wife were dismissed by the Habitat board of directors on 31
January 2005, citing "a pattern of ongoing public comments and
communications by the Fullers that have been divisive and disruptive to
the organization's work"
after Fuller was accused by a former female employee of "suggestive
comments and inappropriate touching" during a ride to the Atlanta
airport in 2003. The Habitat board investigated Fuller for sexual
harassment but found "insufficient proof of inappropriate conduct". Some
Fuller supporters claim that the firing was due to a change in
corporate culture.
Before Fuller's termination, attempts were made by former President Jimmy Carter
to broker an agreement that would allow Fuller to retire with his
$79,000 salary intact; when Fuller was found to have violated the non-disclosure portion of this agreement, he was subsequently fired.
Conflicts with affiliates
In
January 2008 a dispute arose between the parent organization and an
unspecified number of local Habitat for Humanity affiliate organizations
over the terms of their cooperation agreement. These local affiliates
contended that the agreement gave the international organization too
much power over the assets and operations of the local chapters. One of
the affiliates, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio, reached an
agreement with HFHI in July 2008 to "continue working together in their
efforts to make affordable housing possible".
By the end of 2008, the overwhelming majority of Habitat's U.S. affiliates had signed the agreement.
