Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

Service-based housing ministry working with the community to build decent, affordable housing for those in need. Our unique approach relies on sweat equity, donor generosity, volunteer labor and interest-free mortgages.

Why do we exist?

The mission of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia (HFHNV) is to change lives by building simple, decent homes with and for families who lack adequate and affordable housing. Habitat's unique approach relies on donor generosity, volunteer labor, community collaboration, and homeowner "sweat equity" to build homes for low-income families in Arlington and Fairfax counties, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church.

When families pay an excessive percentage of their income toward housing, they cannot hope to break the cycle of poverty without help. And in Northern Virginia, the lack of affordable housing has reached a crisis level. That is why HFHNV works so hard to serve local families in need. We know that the average rent of over $1,000 per month for many area apartments places the cost of decent housing far beyond the reach of most low-income families. We know that the waiting list for subsidized housing has topped 6,000 households, with a waiting list of more than six months. We also know that the stability of homeownership makes a lasting, positive difference in our homeowners’ lives and in their children’s lives. With the continued partnership of our many donors, volunteers and community partners, we build homes and dreams.

What have you accomplished?

Since its inception in 1990, HFHNV has worked in partnership to build affordable housing for 47 low-income families in Northern Virginia, approximately 82 parents and 135 children, who would otherwise be ineligible for traditional mortgages.

One of HFHNV's best success stories involves Dianna F. A drug addict since age 13, at 38 she was a mother of five who "spent every penny she earned on the dope man." One day, she found herself homeless, and made a decision to turn her life around. With the assistance of the Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless, which partners with HFHNV to identify families in need, she developed job skills, located a job, and paid for a 3-bedroom Habitat home for her family with several hundred hours of sweat-equity. Clean and sober for more than two years, she says she plans to "fill her Habitat home with love and laughter for her children." It is families like Dianna’s that Habitat seeks out: families who are willing to partner with us to build not just houses, but strong futures for their families.

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