Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County
Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County (HFHPBC) brings people together to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County (HFHPBC) is responding to the need for affordable housing in Palm Beach County. According to a June 2017 report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there is nowhere in the United States where a full-time worker earning minimum wage can afford a two-bedroom apartment. This is particularly true in Palm Beach County, where real estate values are on the rise and where recent Census data shows that 14.6% of the county's residents live below the poverty line and 38.6% spend 30 percent or more of monthly income on rent or mortgage payments. According to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD), this population is “cost burdened" and may have difficulty affording food or other necessities. This is exactly the population that HFHPBC seeks to assist.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Single-family home construction
Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County utilizes volunteers to build safe, simple homes for qualifying families earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income.
Annual Women Build
Women Build engages female business and community leaders to fund and build a home for a deserving female homeowner. The project generally takes place around Mother's Day and is one of HFHPBC's most popular annual events.
Seminole Ridge High School Partnership
Each school year, approximately 175 9th- through 12th-grade students enrolled in the Weitz Construction Academy at Seminole Ridge High School construct a three-bedroom Habitat home as part of a four-year training program in construction. The home is built as module units at the school’s on-campus workshop. Students then assist with transporting it to the actual build site. Construction continues at the site alongside the Habitat Homeowner Family that will eventually live in the home.
Neighborhood Revitalization & Aging-in-Place Repairs
Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County (HFHPBC) does more than build homes. Since 2015, the affiliate has been engaged in a vigorous revitalization effort in several low-income neighborhoods. To date, 175 owner-occupied homes have been improved through this effort, which is known as Neighborhood Revitalization (NR). The program provides residents earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income with subsidized repairs that range from cosmetic improvements to the replacement of roofs, appliances and other critical elements of the home.
Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County’s Aging-in-Place (AIP) program developed when staff noticed that many residents applying for NR repairs were older homeowners wishing to safely remain in their homes as long as possible. The AIP program provides subsidized home repairs and retrofits to low-income residents aged 50 and older. Tub-to-shower conversions, ADA accessibility modifications and the replacement of door knobs with easy-grip handles are examples of project activities. Such work addresses the need to modify seniors’ environments so they can remain in the homes and communities they know. HFHPBC has also held home repair workshops for residents receiving repairs. The curriculum for these workshops, titled “Here to Stay: Home Upkeep for All,” was developed by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Our Habitat affiliate was selected as one of only three in the nation to field-test this curriculum, and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Association of Fundraising Professionals - Member 2008
United Way Member Agency 2009
Chamber of Commerce 1990
Affiliate/Chapter of National Organization (i.e. Girl Scouts of the USA, American Red Cross, etc.) - Affiliate/chapter 1986
External reviews

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Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of financial literacy courses conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Single-family home construction
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
As part of preparation for home ownership, Habitat Partner Families attend a series of financial education classes covering topics such as debt management, budgeting and savings strategies.
Number of homeowners/tenants rating their feeling of safety in and around their homes as satisfactory
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Neighborhood Revitalization & Aging-in-Place Repairs
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
As part of HFHPBC's Neighborhood Revitalization efforts (which got underway in 2015) some residents have received safety upgrades to their homes.
Number of people no longer living in unsafe or substandard housing as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Single-family home construction
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This is a central goal of HFHPBC's operations; to make it possible for low-income residents to own a high-quality home for less than they typically pay for a sub-standard rental.
Number of low-income families housed in affordable, well-maintained units as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Single-family home construction
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This is the central aim of HFHPBC's efforts.
Number of people in the area with access to affordable housing as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Single-family home construction
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Affordable housing is defined as costing less than 30 percent of the homeowners' monthly income.
Number of houses built
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Single-family home construction
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The number of homes built per year depends on the availability of property. In general, HFHPBC builds 12-15 homes per year with the help of approximately 2,000 volunteers annually.
Number of people no longer living in unaffordable, overcrowded housing as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Single-family home construction
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This is another central aspect of HFHPBC's central mission; to reduce the number of residents who are "cost burdened" by housing and/or living under poor conditions.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn 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?
Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County (HFHPBC) was established in 1986 with the mission of bringing people together to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Dedicated to the creation of decent, affordable homes for families making between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income, HFHPBC operates on the principle that no one lives in dignity until everyone lives in dignity.
The affiliate's goals can be summarized as 1) Provide new, single-family homes to low and very low-income families at a cost well below what they would find on the open market; 2) Engage volunteers (including Partner Families) to construct homes with the purpose of cutting labor costs, engaging the community and allowing families to become homeowners through “sweat equity," and; 3) Prepare future homeowners for long-term success by providing them with meaningful training covering personal finance and property maintenance.
In a continuous effort to grow, HFHPBC has recently embarked on a multi-year initiative to revitalize three neighborhoods in an area of downtown West Palm Beach that has long been challenged by crime and poverty.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
One strategy employed by HFHPBC is a multi-step process for vetting Partner Families. Qualified applicants must meet certain income parameters and be willing to invest 400 hours of “sweat equity" while attending pre-purchase classes. Families must also be willing to repay a 30-year, interest-free mortgage and have a legitimate need for improved housing that cannot be met through more conventional means. By maintaining these criteria, HFHPBC lays the groundwork for long-term success among the residents it serves.
Another strategy involves extensive outreach to community partners including government agencies, civic development organizations and businesses in every community where HFHPBC builds homes. Through these relationships, the affiliate is able to secure property donations and other support that allows HFHPBC to operate efficiently, thereby serving more families.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Affordable housing is only one of the needs of low- and very low-income people in South Florida, but it is a need that HFHPBC is uniquely qualified to fill. After 30 years of constructing homes in Palm Beach County, our affiliate has the knowledge, experience, reputation and professional relationships to efficiently fulfill its mission. Thanks to long-running, mutually beneficial relationships with municipalities and community development agencies from Lake Worth to Jupiter (and as far west as Belle Glade), the affiliate routinely receives land at little to no cost. We also work with an extensive network of contractors and building professionals to obtain competitive prices on services, materials and equipment. Our in-house staff is extremely experienced, with both the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Construction celebrating ten years with the affiliate in 2017. Other key staff have an average of two to five years in their positions, and the affiliate receives ongoing support (in the form of training) from Habitat International's extensive network of industry experts.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
HFHPBC engages approximately 2,000 volunteers each year to help build homes for Partner Families. The families are recruited and vetted by our experienced Family Services Department, which meets with over175 prospective homeowners each year. Those who don't immediately qualify for assistance are advised to re-apply in the future. They are given specific information on how to prepare by establishing savings accounts, repairing credit and taking similar steps. The affiliate also maintains an active presence in the community by holding (on average) 20 ground breakings and home-dedications each year. Homes for more than 230 families have been constructed to date, with another 10 planned for 2019. In 2011, HFHPBC established a unique partnership with Seminole Ridge High School in Loxahatchee, which is home to a popular vocational program known as the Weitz Academy of Construction. Approximately 700 students have taken part in this program, which has resulted in the construction of five single-family Habitat Homes. The program enrolls between 150 and 175 students per year and provides them with daily, hands-on opportunities to work on the home while being mentored by construction professionals. Many graduates of the Weitz Construction Academy have found jobs in the industry immediately out of high school, while others have been admitted to programs such as the University of Florida's Rinker School of Construction. The partnership between the high school and HFHPBC has proven so successful that school district officials recently expanded it to include students from Royal Palm Beach High School's HVAC Academy and the construction program at H.E. Hill West Technical Education Center in Belle Glade.
What has not been accomplished so far is minimizing the need for affordable housing in Palm Beach County. As real estate values rise again, HFHPBC officials are aware of more and more families who meet the Department of Housing and Urban Development's definition of "cost burdened." This means they are spending more than 30% of their household income on housing and may have trouble affording food and other necessities. HFHPBC has sought to act as a voice for these families to state and local officials whenever possible. As redevelopment plans are considered for areas such as the historic, African-American neighborhoods of downtown West Palm Beach, HFHPBC has advocated for affordable home ownership opportunities to be prioritized. Additionally, vacant land is becoming more scarce and expensive throughout the county. Our affiliate is continually striving to acquire land affordably in order to help low- and very low-income families achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through housing.
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
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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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 Palm Beach County
Board of directorsas of 02/26/2021
Mr. Mike DeBock
NextEra Energy
Term: 2018 - 2020
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Monica Graham
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Michael Sabatello
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Michael Debock
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Chris Heggen
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Mary Milmoe
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Diane Rayne
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Brad Jankowski
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Kevin Elwell
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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 ? No -
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? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
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Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data