Self-Help Housing Program

This program is designed to help low and very low income families realize the dream of homeownership through actual involvement with constructing their own homes as well as working on other participant’s homes.  Participants in the program will pay no down payment and no closing costs but are required to contribute some of the labor, referred to as “sweat equity” which results in reduced construction costs to build the home.  This contribution of labor equates to the need for a smaller loan which means a lower mortgage payment.  Without the Self Help Housing program, homeownership would not be possible for many families.

In addition to sweat equity savings, some families qualify for grant funds from Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency and Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka.  Those families can apply for a developer subsidy and reduce the cost of their home  on average, by $9,000.  That is an actual savings of $9,000 dollars that otherwise would have to be borrowed.  Native American families can receive tribal funds to include in their loan for construction from the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations.