Our Model & Impact
A safe, decent, affordable place to call home changes everything.
Habitat brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope — one family, one neighborhood at a time.
Home is Where Everything Begins
A safe, stable, affordable home isn’t just four walls — it’s the foundation for everything that follows. When a family has a home they can afford, children do better in school. Parents build savings instead of paying down debt. Neighborhoods grow stronger. Health improves. Futures expand.
At Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties, we believe that everyone in our community deserves a safe, decent place to call home.
We serve our community by working in the neighborhoods where our community members already live, work, and belong.
And, we do more than build homes. We repair them. We help families build the financial foundation they need to sustain themselves. And we partner with organizations across Tompkins and Cortland Counties to make sure the people who need us most can find us. This is what it means to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope.
The Challenges We Face in Tompkins and Cortland Counties
1 in 6 Families Spend More then 30% of their Income on Housing
While the average cost of a home in Tompkins and Cortland Counties keeps climbing, local wages aren’t rising at the same pace. This means families are spending more on rent and housing, and less is available for food, education, day care, health care, and future goals.
Lack of Housing Stock
When the supply of homes to rent or buy can’t keep up with demand, costs rise for everyone. Families who are ready and qualified for homeownership are left waiting because the opportunities aren’t there yet.
Policies are Blocking Builders
Local, state, and federal policies are making it increasingly difficult to build affordable housing. Zoning restrictions, permitting delays, and regulatory barriers slow the work down even when the will and resources to build are there.
Without stable, affordable housing, families aren’t just uncomfortable. They’re in crisis. That’s why our work can’t wait.
Pillars of our work
Every program we run connects back to one goal: a community where everyone has a stable, affordable place to call home.
Affordable Homeownership
Habitat works with income-qualified families to help them build and purchase affordable homes with a mortgage they can manage. Families contribute their time and skills throughout the process, building their home alongside volunteers and investing in their community from day one.
Home Repair
A safe home doesn’t have to be a new one. We work with existing homeowners in Tompkins and Cortland Counties to complete critical repairs, addressing health and safety issues, improving accessibility, and helping older adults live independently in the homes they love.
Homebuyer Support
Homeownership readiness starts long before the build begins. Through homebuyer support, we connect families to financial counseling, home maintenance training, and the budgeting and savings skills they need to purchase a home and build lasting financial and ownership independence once they do.
Our Impact In Tompkins and Cortland Counties
Habitat’s model relies on partnerships with individuals, companies, faith-based organizations, and community groups for success.
The dedication of these volunteers moves our mission forward and together, our impact is broad and lasting.
39
Homes Built
20
Homes Repaired
11
Properties Preserved in our Land Trust
7,221
Volunteer Hours in 2025
A Home Changes Everything
The research is clear and so are the stories we hear every day – when a family has a safe, stable, affordable home, the benefits ripple outward in every direction.
Stable, affordable homeownership improves outcomes across four dimensions of life that matter most:
Health
Safer living conditions and reduced chronic stress lead to measurably better physical and mental health outcomes.
Education
Children in stable homes stay in school longer and are more likely to pursue higher education.
Safety
Homeowners are less vulnerable to displacement, unsafe conditions, and the instability of an unpredictable rental market.
Generational Impact
Affordable homeownership builds wealth over time, giving families the financial foundation to invest in their future.
See What We Built Together
Our latest annual report is a full picture of our partnerships with our homebuyers, the numbers, and the stories behind them.
Every year we publish a full account of our impact. The homes built and repaired, the volunteers who showed up, the dollars invested, and the families who made it all worth it. It’s our promise of transparency to the community that makes this work possible.
Ready to Build with Us?
There are so many ways to get involved with Habitat – not just on the construction site. Volunteer your time, make a gift, or apply for a home. There’s a place for everyone.