|
The Ripple Effect
"Habitat for Humanity provides a path for low-income families to achieve economic security, build wealth and invest in their family's future. Habitat's homebuilding and repair activities also energize local economies, support jobs, increase tax revenues and reduce the need for household governmental assistance. Since 2007, multiple studies have measured these broader economic and fiscal impacts by examining the ripple effects of Habitat activities in a diversity of settings, ranging from rural to urban, and from strong to weaker housing markets.
Each Habitat home (new, renovated or repaired) supports between 1.3 and 4.6 full-time jobs in a given year, with a median of 3.5 jobs per home. This is consistent with research by the National Association of Home Builders, which in 2015 found that single-family development generated 3.9 total jobs per home.
Habitat homeowners significantly reduce their use of governmental assistance after transitioning to homeownership. This includes reductions in the use of food support programs (reductions ranging from 47 to 55 percent), welfare or family and children services (between 72 and 83 percent), utility bill/energy assistance (between 18 and 77 percent), rent assistance (between 80 and 100 percent), and Medicaid (between 24 to 46 percent, excluding Evansville, Indiana, where participation increased)."
Source: The Ripple Effect: What recent studies reveal about Habitat's broader economic and fiscal impacts from Habitat for Humanity International and their advocacy department
|
