Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, Inc.
Creating a world where everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home.
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Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Home Construction
Habitat OC provides equitable access for low and moderate income individuals and families to become first-time homeowners. However, there is a common misconception that Habitat for Humanity gives homes away for free when actually we leverage volunteer power, sweat equity, reduced building costs, and land-lease partnerships in order to enable qualified buyers to purchase a quality home that is affordable, safe, and built with care. Our homes are a hand-up, not a hand-out. Our homes ensure that homebuyer’s mortgage payments will not exceed 30% of their income and that down payment and closing costs for low-income homebuyers will remain at an affordable $12,000-$17,000. Additionally, homebuyers are required to invest “Sweat Equity” hours that allow them to devote their physical energy to the house they will call a home. They take pride in the finished product and learn skills to care for their home long term. Habitat OC has built nearly 300 homes throughout Orange County.
Home Buyback
Some Habitat homeowners stay in their Habitat home for decades; others parlay this first home into other homeownership opportunities, choosing to sell their Habitat home and move on to market rate opportunities. In that case, Habitat OC maintains a Home Buyback program, enabling us to buy back and resell Habitat-built homes, increasing the inventory of affordable houses on the market by every means possible.
Home Repair
For low and moderate income homeowners living in homes in need of critical repair, Habitat OC has partnered with cities throughout Orange County to help rehabilitate homes through our Home Repair program for qualified vulnerable populations, including veterans and seniors. Our goal is to improve neighborhoods by providing homeowners with much needed repairs – focusing on health, safety and accessibility. These projects are helping cities throughout Orange County meet their affordable housing goals and objectives by ensuring the maintenance and preservation of existing housing for lower-income residents. Partner cities include Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Anaheim, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, and Rancho Santa Margarita. To date, the program has completed more than 200 projects (serving 176 seniors age 62+).
Where we work
Awards
Affiliations & memberships
Orange County Business Council 2019
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Veterans, Economically disadvantaged people, Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of applications for housing received from targeted population
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families
Related Program
Home Construction
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Applicants are encouraged to attend a Homebuyer Orientation meeting and learn how to apply to purchase a traditional Habitat OC home. Sessions available in multiple OC locations and online webinars.
Number of housing units built
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Families, Economically disadvantaged people, Veterans
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Habitat for Humanity of Orange County mission is to bring people together to build homes, community and hope. Our strategic goals for 2016-2019 include:
1. Increase new home construction - serve more families with the opportunity of home ownership
2. Expand Home Repair expansion
3. Neighborhood Revitalization - help families strengthen their communities and improve neighborhood quality of life
4. Land Acquisition - to build more homes for families
5. Increase Awareness of affordable housing issues
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Construction and Revitalization:
• Build and revitalize 12 new homes; 1 major rehab project; 10 minor rehab projects, repairs, or strategic alliances; 10 revitalization projects annually
• Acquire Land: Acquire land remnants from RDA successor agencies
Fundraising:
• Increase individual donors and multi-year giving society members; Strengthen corporate giving ; Strengthen ties with faith communities; Increase foundation donations and grants and planned giving
• ReStore:
Increase Habitat OC ReStore efficiency and profit. Increase volunteers
Awareness of affordable housing issues:
• Work with Habitat International toward national ad campaign; Work with regional Habitat affiliates forming a state-wide alliance.
• Partner with public officials, non-profits, businesses and individuals.
• Participate in legislative lobby days in Sacramento and Washington DC
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County has been led for over 10 years by its President/CEO, Sharon Ellis. Ellis joined Habitat OC with over 20 years experience in the field of education and holds a Master's Degree in Education Administration. Troy Henrickson is the Vice President of Construction & Real Estate Development, overseeing construction.
The Board of Directors includes local professional business people from a wide variety of vocations. Oversight committees include: Executive Committee; Audit; Board Governance; Land Acquisition & Development; Neighborhood Revitalization, Organizational Growth & Sustainability; Compliance; and ReStore Executive Committee. The board members are committed professionals with a heart for Habitat OC.
Habitat OC is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and therefore has access to the resources of that international company. Habitat OC does not, however, receive financial support from the international organization and, in fact, Habitat OC tithes to the International organization.
Habitat for Humanity is rated in the top ten as the largest home builders in the United States. Its brand is highly recognized, valuable, and trusted. In 2013, Habitat OC was recognized as a “Most Trusted Brand" by the OC Register Metro's partnership with the The Values Institute at DGWB and Cal State Fullerton.
Habitat OC operates two retail ReStores, selling gently used and new home improvement items. Materials sold are mostly donated and sold at discount prices, thus being diverted from area landfills. Proceeds from the stores flows back to Habitat OC's mission of building and revitalizing homes and neighborhoods. In addition, Social media is an integral portion of Habitat OC's brand awareness campaign.
Volunteer support is the backbone of Habitat OC's success. The organization is blessed with volunteers who have a diverse variety of skills to generously offer. Habitat OC is thankful to the many volunteers who step forward to help!
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Habitat OC accomplishments include:
• Construction / Home Repair
o 208 New home construction in Orange County - more than 3,700 people served
o 48 Resale Homes in OC to qualified buyers – 174 people served
o 79 Repaired homes in Orange county - 288 people served
o “Operation Home Delivery" Disaster relief 23 homes framed & delivered to the Gulf Coast – 115 people served
o 442 Tithe homes built internationally through Habitat OC tithes to Habitat International - serving 2,210 people internationally
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 10/16/2023
Michael Valentine
RiverRock Real Estate Group
Term: 2021 - 2023
Charles Antis
Antis Roofing & Waterproofing, Inc.
Robert Barker
Retired, Parker Aerospace
Aram Chahbazian
President & CEO, TCA Architects
John Cunningham
Retired, Mazda North American Operations
Frank Ferrara
Retired, Hyundai Motor America USA
Francisca Gonzalez Baxa
Attorney, Law offices of Francisca Gonzalez Baxa
Drew Hatcher
Senior Director, Contract Management EH&S, Behr Paint Company
Mark Hoover
Founder, ActivCare Living
F. Scott Jackson
Attorney, Jackson Tidus, A Law Corporation
Andy King
Vice President, Information Technology, Fluidmaster, Inc.
Ken Lickel
Retired, Alcon
James Light
President, C.J. Light Associates
Anna Lisa Lukes
Founder & CEO, The Lukes Network
Brett Mansfield
National Segment Leader/Client Management, Citi Bank Business Banking
Gregg Martin
Founder & CEO, System Solutions LLC
Robert Montgomery
Principal, ARBOR Real Estate Professionals
Brad Morton
Retired, Eaton Corp.
Hugo Nuño
Chief Risk Officer, First Foundation Bank
Kim Shepherd
Retired, Engage 2 Excel
Stanley Smith
Retired, First Christian Church of Orange
Marcy Tieger
Managing Director, Symphony Advisors, LLC
Michael Valentine
Executive VP, Construction Management, RiverRock Real Estate Group
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data