Written by or for St. George News May 6, 2025
Families, friends and volunteers work to complete homes through the Self-Help Homes sweat equity program, Hurricane, Utah, date not specified.
Photo courtesy of Self-Help Homes
Another group of ten families has started construction on their own homes through the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program, and more families are needed for the next group.
“This group experienced a lot of delays,” Julie Lindquist, spokeswoman for Self-Help Homes, said in a statement. “The delays were beyond anyone’s control, but still frustrating. We are so excited that they finally got to start building. But the families are even more excited.”
The program, which is managed in Washington County by Self-Help Homes, helps qualified low- to moderate income families realize their dream of home ownership through sweat equity, according to a recent press release.
Families, friends and volunteers work to complete homes through the Self-Help Homes sweat equity program, Hurricane, Utah, date not specified.
Photo courtesy of Self-Help Homes
“It’s a lot of hard work, but every family I’ve worked with said it was worth it,” Lindquist said.
The advantages of the Self-Help program include low interest rates, 33- and 38-year mortgages, $750 down payments, and closing costs that are mostly worked into the loan. Most families also receive monthly subsidies, depending on their income and situation.
“All of these factors make the mortgages very affordable,” Lindquist said. “I’m seeing $1,600-1,900 per month right now. Families in Southern Utah desperately need options like this.”
The mortgages include property taxes and homeowners’ insurance and because USDA provides the loans, mortgage insurance is not required.
The homes are three and four bedroom, average 1,500-1,800 square feet and take about eight to 10 months to complete.
Families do labor on the homes like framing, sheeting, interior finish work, landscaping, among other projects, while jobs that require a license are subcontracted out. Participants don’t need any construction experience, organizers said.
Families and their volunteers work on all the homes, until they are all completely finished, inspected and approved by USDA. No one can move in until all the homes in the group are finished.
And while the families are working, they are getting to know each other and forming lifelong bonds.
“They become old-fashioned neighborhoods, where everyone knows each other. It’s one of the best parts of the program,” Lindquist said.
Self-Help Homes is currently building in the Hurricane Heights area, which is close to three schools, the city pool, dog park, and baseball fields. In addition, there is easy access to hiking trails in the Cinder Knolls and Babylon areas in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.
Families, friends and volunteers work to complete homes through the Self-Help Homes sweat equity program, Hurricane, Utah, date not specified.
Photo courtesy of Self-Help Homes
When finished, this will be the third group to build at the Hurricane location, organizers said. Self-Help Homes is close to having another group ready to start building.
“And we’ll have more groups after that,” Lindquist said. “It’s an ongoing program; we are always looking for families that can qualify.”
Work hours are flexible, except for Saturdays between 8 and 1 p.m., when the construction supervisor makes assignments, teaches skills and goes over safety procedures.
On other days of the week, families and volunteers can work mornings, afternoons or evenings, whatever fits their schedules.
“Most of our families work full-time as they build their homes,” Lindquist said. “It’s definitely hard, but the reward is incredible.”
For the program, family-size starts at one and couples do not need to be legally married, Lindquist said.
“We’ve had single moms, single dads, younger people and older people, as well as more traditional families,” she said.
Qualifications for self-help program include:
- Cannot own property.
- Credit score of 640 or higher.
- Debt to income ratio of 42% or less (including the mortgage).
- Family of one to four, income between $58,000 and $77,200. SNAP benefits and child support can be counted as income.
- Families of five or more, income between $58,000 and $101,950.
- Families of 5 or more making less than $63,700 are considered ‘high priority’ and will likely get into the very next group.
- Willing to commit to 35 hours per week, per family. Half of the hours must be done by someone listed on the mortgage; the other half can be done by the family’s volunteers.
Families, friends and volunteers work to complete homes through the Self-Help Homes sweat equity program, Hurricane, Utah, date not specified.
Photo courtesy of Self-Help Homes
The Mutual Self-Help Housing Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, which provides low-interest mortgages. Self-Help Homes has administered the program in Washington County since 2015.
Self-Help Homes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization based in Provo with a branch office in Washington County. In the past 20 years, Self-Help Homes has helped more than 600 families build their homes in Utah.
For more information about program qualifications and how to apply in Washington County, see the Self-Help Homes website, Facebook page or contact Julie Lindquist by email at julie@selfhelphomes.org.
