Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, founded in 1984, is one of the most respected Habitat affiliates and has partnered with more than 2,150 families across five Nebraska counties. Its Home Journey program prepares families for mortgage readiness. Here is how to qualify, what is involved, and how to help.
The path centers on Home Journey, a counseling and financial-education program that prepares families for mortgage readiness, with support before and after purchase. Homeowners buy with an affordable mortgage that the affiliate describes as significantly lower than the open-market rate, and down-payment assistance may be included; the payments are reinvested into future homes.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Income | 30 to 80 percent of area median income, adjusted for family size. |
| Income history | A full two-year verifiable income with tax filings for the two most recent years. |
| Residency | Lived in the Omaha metro area for the past 12 months. |
| First-time buyer | A first-time homebuyer, or not having owned a home in the last three years. |
| Credit | If a bankruptcy was filed, at least two years since discharge plus two years of re-established credit with no late payments. |
| Sweat equity | Required, though the affiliate does not publish a specific number of hours. |
The five counties served are Douglas, Sarpy, Washington, Cass, and Burt.
Applying starts with the Home Journey intake application online. The affiliate reviews applications within 30 to 45 days, and the full process from application to move-in runs about 6 to 24 months.
Because intake is ongoing rather than tied to a fixed window, the intake application is the way in.
Habitat Omaha's home repair program covers fixes such as furnaces, air conditioning, water heaters, roofs, windows and doors, plumbing, and electrical work, funded by a zero-interest loan repayable over one to ten years with a one-year warranty; it completed more than 175 repairs in a recent year.
In March 2026 the affiliate sold both of its ReStores to Thrift World to refocus on building, financing, and repairing homes, so it no longer operates retail stores. It also runs Rock the Block neighborhood-improvement events and a community garden program.
Volunteers can work on construction sites at 16 and join Rock the Block or the community garden at 14 with a parent, with a signed waiver for those under 19. You sign up at the affiliate's volunteer page, with options including corporate team builds and Women Build.
Habitat Omaha holds a four-star rating from Charity Navigator with a perfect 100 percent score and a long streak of top ratings. Its EIN for tax-deductible gifts is 36-3283625.
Affordable, below-market mortgages prepared through the Home Journey program.
Counseling and financial education for mortgage readiness.
Zero-interest repair loans repayable over one to ten years.
Neighborhood-improvement events and a community garden.
A signature volunteer and fundraising program.
Sold ReStores to Thrift World, which shares sales with Habitat.
Sources: Habitat for Humanity of Omaha (habitatomaha.org) homeownership, home-repair, and volunteer pages, plus its ReStore-sale announcement; Charity Navigator (EIN 36-3283625). The homeownership mortgage is described as below-market; sweat-equity hours are not published. Retrieved June 2026. We are not affiliated with Habitat for Humanity of Omaha and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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