About 612 Jefferson Avenue

Nearing completion, scaffolding was taken down in November 2021.

  • 6-story building, with 20 affordable condos
  • 5,000 square foot lot in downtown Redwood City
  • 5 one-bedroom condos, 10 two-bedroom condos and 5 three-bedroom condos are available
  • Availability of homes depend on the applicant’s household size
  • Parking not available for all units
  • All units are part of a Homeowner Association (HOA)

Requirements to apply

Applicants must meet our income and credit guidelines, in addition to other requirements, such as being willing and able to perform up to 500 hours of sweat equity (volunteer hours) on the construction site, attending workshops, and volunteering in other Habitat programs.

Our selection process includes a review of your finances and credit, employment history, residency, and other qualifications.

If you have applied in the past, you will need to submit a new application for Jefferson Avenue. All applications that are received on time and filled out completely will be entered into a lottery. The lottery ONLY determines the order in which your application will be reviewed. It does not guarantee you a home.

  • Applicants must have minimum credit score of 650
  • Applicants must be willing to complete 500 hours of sweat equity
  • Applicants must have a history of reliable payments on credit report
  • Applicants must have a total debt-to-income ratio below 45%
  • Applicants cannot have owned a home in the past 3 years
  • Household has lived together consistently for the past 12 months
  • Applicants must be permanent residents or US citizens
  • Households with an annual gross income of up to 80% of the area median income (AMI) may qualify. AMI is calculated and updated each year by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Please see the 2020 chart below for reference:

Please note: 60% AMI income limits will be rounded.

View the Information Session video – English

Read the Information Session presentation – English

View the Information Session video – Spanish

Read the Information Session presentation – Spanish

If you have any questions, please contact the Homeowners Development Department at HDDIntake@habitatgsf.org or 415-625-1041

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don’t meet all of the eligibility requirements?

We encourage everyone to apply. Once you have applied, we will determine eligibility based on the random lottery number you are assigned.

How much do Habitat homes cost?

Habitat GSF homes are affordable to low income households in the tri-county area (San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties).

Buyers pay no more than 30% of their gross household income at time of purchase.

Our current mortgage is at 0% interest and while this doesn’t change, your property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and HOA dues will likely increase after the first year. This is all included in a monthly escrow payment.

What is “sweat equity”?

Habitat GSF requires all potential buyers to complete sweat equity (500 volunteer hours).You can get help with your sweat equity by having friends, family, etc. volunteer with you.  Sweat equity is not designed to be a barrier; we work with each family to ensure they finish their sweat equity in a safe and timely manner.

What is the HOA responsible for?

Maintaining and repairing common areas (homeowners are responsible for repairs in their units).

Will I need to pay my own utilities or will the HOA pay them?

You are responsible for paying for your own utilities.

Are there monthly HOA fees?

Yes, fees are subject to change annually.

Is there parking for each unit?

Parking spot(s) are not guaranteed for all 20 units

There will be 1 handicap space

Parking spots will cost an additional fee per month

Are pets allowed?

Yes, 2 small pets per household.

How does the lottery work?

Pre-applicants will be given a unique ID number via email

On October 28th we will host a live, virtual lottery

Pre-applicants IDs will be randomized and given a spot in the lottery starting with #1

We will invite pre-applicants to complete the full application based on the lottery number (i.e the pre-applicant who got lottery #1 will be the first person invited to complete the application, we will go down our list until all 20 units are filled by a qualified buyer)

Lottery results will be posted on our website and pre-applicants will be notified of their number by email

What is considered an asset?

Checking and savings accounts

Retirement accounts/401(k)s

Stocks and bonds

Property

Do I have to have a co-applicant to apply?

No. Please keep in mind that applicants will become legal title holders and will be responsible for making all monthly payments on time.

Can I apply with my sibling, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend etc.?

You can apply with anyone you’d like if you have lived with those individuals for the past 12 months and they are at least 18 years old.

Will Habitat Greater San Francisco be my landlord?

No, Habitat GSF is the lender as this is not a rental unit.

If I apply for a home in the Jefferson development and I’m not selected, do I need to reapply for future developments?

Yes, however, since we have switched our application to be online, you will only be required to update the information you provided in your previous application. The online application portal will store your information safely and securely so that you don’t have to fill out a new application each time homes become available. Please note, Habitat GSF does a new, random lottery each time new homes become available.

Back to Top
Translate