<P> Work continued and Habitat completed its 1,000 th hurricane - response home by May 2007 . By the fifth anniversary of Katrina, more than 2,716 homes had been completed . In total, Habitat's Gulf Coast affiliates built, repaired or rehabbed more than 5,400 houses as part of the hurricanes Katrina and Rita effort . </P> <P> Habitat affiliates in the region have remained some of the largest homebuilders in their areas and have received numerous awards and acknowledgements for their work in building quality homes . </P> <P> Families are required to show an ability to pay for their home in addition to the need for housing . With these requirements, homeless and low - income families may fail to qualify for a Habitat home . Most American Habitat affiliates perform credit checks and criminal record checks on applicants before partnering with them for the construction of a home . Some critics therefore allege that Habitat misrepresents the nature of its work by partnering with families that might be considered nearly "middle - income ." To address this, many Habitat affiliates in the United States partner only with families that fall below the government - set "poverty line" for their area . The current poverty rate is measured according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines . </P> <P> The credit and income requirements help ensure that Habitat applicants are able to maintain their houses . Foreclosure rates on Habitat houses are hard to measure . While Habitat claims a foreclosure rate of less than 2%, this number is unsubstantiated due to the fact that Habitat properties are not initially deeded to the buyer, and revert to the local Habitat chapter if a buyer defaults . The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are used to build more Habitat homes . </P>

How does habitat for humanity get its funding