Pioneer. Empower. Transform. These are the strategies driving Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County’s mission over the next decade.
As part of our Vision 2035 plan, we’ve refreshed our focus to reflect who we are today—a team that not only builds and repairs homes, but also educates, advocates, and works to strengthen our community at every level.
The plan is based on our vision where everyone has an affordable place to call home – a stable foundation that fosters health, opportunity and progress for all. To accomplish this, Habitat Orlando & Osceola is pioneering innovative housing solutions, empowering individuals through knowledge, and transforming communities by addressing the root causes of the housing crisis.
Our guiding principle
At Habitat Orlando & Osceola, we know that housing is the cornerstone of community progress.
We believe that affordable and stable housing is not just about shelter—it’s the foundation for thriving individuals, families, and communities. Housing is where health is nurtured, education is strengthened, and opportunities are unlocked. It’s the key to a vibrant economy and a strong regional workforce.
Yet today, the housing system is broken, creating barriers to community progress. The growing housing crisis threatens the health of our families, the strength of our economy, and our collective future. Habitat Orlando & Osceola is leading the charge to address these challenges.
Our Programs
Most people know us for building houses, but we have expanded our program offerings exponentially in the last few years. Here’s an overview of how we are helping:
We pioneer housing solutions.
We pioneer housing solutions through two of our main programs: homeownership and preservation.
Our Homeownership Program sells homes with stable mortgages to local families. Homes are built with energy-efficient and aging-in-place features. Our Innovation line looks for alternatives to single-family homes, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and multi-family housing.
Our Home Preservation Program works to keep homeowners (both Habitat and non-Habitat) in their homes. We partner with local governments to provide roof replacements at no cost to qualified homeowners as well as critical repairs to help residents recover from disasters. Homeowners can qualify for free wind mitigation and 4-point inspections, which help reduce insurance premiums.
We empower through knowledge.
There are several ways we are working to empower our community members through knowledge to help them achieve their financial and housing goals.
Habitat U’s free public classes cover topics that are key to improving financial health and being a successful homeowner. We also teach financial literacy and community engagement to teenagers through our Youth Summit.
Certified First-time Homebuyer Workshops, offered monthly in both English and Spanish, help people become homebuyer-ready and qualify for certain down payment assistance programs.
Housing Counseling offers free one-on-one sessions to help people achieve their housing goals, such as becoming a homeowner (through Habitat or the open market), preventing foreclosure, or maintaining their existing home. We are a HUD-certified Local Housing Counseling Agency.
Orange County Financial Empowerment Center provides free one-on-one financial counseling to anyone who lives or works in Orange County, empowering them to take control of their finances.
We transform communities.
The housing crisis isn’t just about a shortage of homes; it’s about a housing system that creates and perpetuates barriers to progress.
The Cornerstone Housing Initiative frames the solution sets needed to address the housing crisis. It introduces a systems thinking approach to policy development. Through research and community engagement, the initiative fosters collective action among stakeholders.
Join our mission
These efforts combined over the next decade will help us think beyond traditional housing models. We will educate clients, partners, and policymakers for long-term impact, not just by building homes, but by shifting systems to create a more equitable, sustainable and accessible housing system.
We look forward to having you work alongside us on this mission.