Healing A Home — Habitat Omaha’s Repair Program

Decent shelter is something everyone needs to thrive. Noah discovered that Habitat for Humanity of Omaha assists people with housing in several ways when he asked for help with a home repair.

Tree roots were causing a blockage in his sewage system. Running the water caused it to back up into his laundry room, creating a mess. Noah first got quotes from plumbing companies that cost up to $10,000, but he did not have the funds available. When traditional banks denied him a loan, Noah searched the internet for affordable ways to fix the issue and discovered Habitat for Humanity of Omaha’s home repair program.

Qualified families or individuals can receive a loan to pay for improvements, even if they do not own a Habitat Omaha-built home. Qualifications include demonstrating the ability to repay, having homeowners’ insurance upon project completion and holding a clear title to the property. The zero-percent interest financing allows homeowners to spread the expense over 1 to 10 years to make them affordable.

Habitat Omaha then serves as the general contractor, hiring only trusted subcontractors. The program helps with essential renovations — heating or air conditioning units; water heaters; roofs, gutters and siding; windows and exterior doors; driveways and sidewalks; retaining walls, porches and exterior steps; plumbing; electrical problems; and fences.

With funding from Habitat Omaha, Noah had the tree roots extracted and 20 feet of broken pipes repaired. Noah later used the home repair program to fix his furnace.

Habitat Omaha is here for people who need to navigate housing emergencies. With new pipes and a functional furnace, Noah looks forward to using his water safely and staying warm through the winter. Visit https://habitatomaha.org/programs/home-repair for more information.