Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity Case Study
Building for Insurability, Resilience, Energy Efficiency, and Housing Affordability: Addressing the True Cost of Housing
Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity adopted high-speed modular construction to build 400 homes to meet an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding deadline. These homes are energy efficient, built to ENERGY STAR certification, and achieve Enterprise Green Communities certification, making them eligible for Cleveland’s 15-year tax abatement program that requires the certification. New homeowners are well positioned for success with low utility bills, zeropercent loans from Habitat for Humanity, and no taxes for 15 years. Such programs could be launched or expanded nationwide through modular pre-purchasing agreements.
Actions state and local governments can take to accelerate similar housing projects include:
- Providing zero percent loans for low income households; and
- Introducing tax abatements for homes achieving Enterprise Green Communities Certification.