Effective January 1, 2020, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Fredericksburg is now using the services of HabTex Mortgage to handle mortgage services for houses built in Gillespie County.
This move will “professionalize the process” that has in the past been handled locally by volunteers.
“Using HabTex will make the process more consistent over time,” said Dr. Leonard Bentch, the board member who helped set up the arrangement. “It will also take a huge burden of time and energy off of board members, so they can concentrate on building homes for deserving, working families in our community.”
HabTex will also help the local chapter apply for interest-free loans provided through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
For local Habitat homeowners, the process will be seamless and transparent, with the only change being that payments will be sent to a different address.
This is one of several initiatives the local group is putting in place to address the national organization’s rising compliance standards. They have also hired an Executive Secretary, and are looking at outsourcing other services such as accounting and marketing. Selection of qualifying families has always been outsourced as required by Habitat for Humanity policy.
“The professional compliance requirements of Habitat affiliates have become more complex,” Bentch noted. “We are trying to outsource more of that type of specialized work as the requirements become more burdensome.”
The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity was organized in 1995, and has plans to complete its 18th and 19th homes in 2020. Habitat for Humanity is an international organization where homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. The office can be contacted at 713-705-0836, www.fbghabitat.org, or fbghabitat.execdir@gmail.com. Mailing address is P.O. Box 2012, Fredericksburg, Texas 78624.