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Started in 1976, Habitat for Humanity built its 300,000th home in 2009. Our local affiliate completed our 50th home in 2008.

Our Mission
Champaign County Habitat for Humanity and ReStore is a Christian ministry that provides the life-changing opportunity for people to purchase and own simple, quality, affordable homes

The S.A.F.E. Act could have crippling effect on Habitat!
Please help!

Dealing with new government regulations is never easy to do or to understand.  Here’s our best effort to explain what we need and how you can help.

In the simplest terms:

  • The Federal government passed a regulation (the S.A.F.E. Act) to require all mortgage lenders to be registered and licensed
  • Each state is required to implement their own S.A.F.E acts to assure these regulations are upheld.
  • The regulations were intended to harness in for-profit lenders, HOWEVER neither the Federal nor the Illinois State Act exempts Not-for-Profits such as Habitat from these regulations.
  • Licensing & registration is expensive – set up fees, annual fees and in some states per-loan fees apply
  • The program goes into affect July 31, 2010
  • If a change is not made at the Federal or State level Habitat’s ability to provide housing for low-income families will be significantly impacted.

How you can help
Federal level

  • Contact your House and Senate representatives
  • Ask them to support Representative Heath Shuler’s proposed Bill #H.R. 4400 which exempts 501(c)3 nonprofits who:
    • Make mortgage loans to promote home ownership for poor or low income, disabled, or other disadvantaged individuals or families; and
    • Offer mortgage loan rates that are lower than the bank prime rate or that are no-interest loans (This is what Habitat does), or loans with interest rates significantly below the interest rates generally available in the market; and
    • Are otherwise not primarily in the business of soliciting or brokering mortgage loans

State level
The original Illinois State Bill HB4011 included the exemption detailed above.  Unfortunately Amendment #3 to this bill DELETED THE EXEMPTION.

  • Contact your Illinois State Senator and Representative
  • Ask them to reinstate Section 5,  Sec. 1-4, subsection (d) of state bill HB4011 which states:
    • A nonprofit organization that is recognized as tax exempt under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) whose primary activity is the construction, remodeling, rehabilitation or homes for sale to and or use by low-income families is exempt from the Section provided that:
      (A) the nonprofit organization makes no profit mortgage loans to low-income families and
      (B) no fees accrue directly to the nonprofit organization from those mortgage loans

    Below are links to sample letters.  Please remember that a voice and your personal feelings regarding Habitat and these bills can make a real difference!

    Sample Letters

    Federal
    State of Illinois

    To find the contact information for your representative

    US Senators – click drop down box at the top right-hand corner

    US House Representatives – enter your zip code in the box at top left-hand corner

    IL State Senators & House of Representatives



Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.

Habitat of Champaign is excited to be a part of the Disney program celebrating volunteers. Spend a day volunteering in our ReStore, and Disney will give you a free day at a Disney park. Supply is limited and you must sign up through Disney.
Click here for details and sign up
We look forward to seeing you soon!

News

Disney: Give a Day. Get a Disney DayDisney: Give a Day. Get a Disney Day
Habitat of Champaign is excited to be a part of the Disney program celebrating volunteers. Spend a day volunteering in our ReStore, and Disney will give you a free day at a Disney park. Supply is limited and you must sign up through Disney.

Click here for details and sign up. We look forward to seeing you soon!


Help Habitat IL be listed as a Charitable Choice on IL Tax Forms
Help Habitat IL be listed as a Charitable Choice on IL Tax Forms - House Bill #4803 has been submitted to include Habitat IL as one of your choices for donation through you tax form. Please contact your representative and ask them to co-sponsor the bill Click here for more information. [ ...more ]
Tis the Season to Give Back (12/9/09)
Parade of Lights "Let it Glow" (12/4/09)
Food Drive Blitz (10/3/09)
Rockin for Rooftops to hit the stage at Canopy Club (10/1/09)
WCIA Newschannel 3 Coverage of Young Groundbreaking
WICD ABC 15 Coverage of Young Groundbreaking
New Director of Habitat in Champaign County begins job (8/25/09)
Big Responsibility Means Carrying a Really Big Purse  [PDF: 27 KB - Aug 13, 2009]
Champaign Weather
7 Day Forecast
Updated Feb 8, 7:53 pm

Habitat's Response in Haiti

Although the full toll of homes severely damaged or destroyed is not yet known, Habitat has begun to respond by addressing immediate relief efforts and long-term shelter solutions for low-income families.

What can you do?
  
Please pray for the people of Haiti and the relief workers.

Please contact your friends and neighbors and encourage them to support Habitat and other organizations' relief efforts.

Go to www.habitat.org  for Haiti Relief Donations and to watch for other opportunities to help.

Events and Meetings
  [click on underlined titles for details]

Tuesday February 9—
Family Selection Committee
Sunday February 14—
Valentines's Day
Monday February 15—
President's Day
Tuesday February 16—
Building Committee Meeting
Wednesday February 17—
Volunteer Committee
Click here to see additional dates...

2010 Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County
[ phone: (217) 359-0507 ] [ Contact via Email ]