HABITAT FACTS:
- Habitat started in the Dominican Republic in 1986.
- Individuals served in FY2021 – 14,670
- Through new construction – 125
- Through incremental building – 195
- Through repairs – 430
- Through professional services – 60
- Through market development – 13,860
- Volunteers hosted in FY2020 – 226
COUNTRY FACTS:
Capital city – Santo Domingo
Population – 10.54 million
Life expectancy – 74 years
Unemployment rate – 6.1%
Below poverty line – 23.4%
The housing need in Dominican Republic
According to the United Nations Development Programme, the housing deficit in the Dominican Republic is almost 2.2 million units, of which about 60.6% is qualitative. Compared to those who are homeless, there are more people living in inadequate housing. The housing shortage is growing annually by an average of 50,000 to 60,000 homes.
At the national level, housing is built by families. The high cost of construction services and families’ low incomes make it impossible for them to access the formal building sector, which leads to deterioration of home quality and safety.
How Habitat addresses the need
Access to housing services
Habitat Dominican Republic offers both financial and non-financial support that helps families access essential services and turn housing into a durable asset that adds value to the communities we serve. We also provide construction technical assistance to guide families in building their own homes.
Training
We provide training in areas such as financial education, master builders, risk management, water and sanitation, healthy housing, and basic construction. We develop partnerships to promote organized, committed, and empowered communities.
Financial services
We facilitate access to housing microloans for low-income families so they can acquire a new home, repair, or improve their existing housing. We partner with other nonprofit organizations, such as microfinance institutions, to address the country’s quantitative housing shortage and conduct housing demand studies in different areas of the country.
Disaster preparedness and response
Through international collaborative projects, we work on shelter construction, repair, and management in disaster-affected areas. We also build capacities for safe construction (correct?) at the community and institutional level through training in risk management.
Volunteer engagement
We mobilize brigades of national and international volunteers, to be the hearts, hands, and voices that further the cause of decent housing and promote understanding and self-sufficiency, complying with the COVID-19 protocols.
What you can do
DONATE
Donate at https://habitatdominicana.org/donar-ahora/
VOLUNTEER
The Global Village program was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please go to habitat.org/gv for updates, including when and where the program will resume.
TITHE
Habitat affiliates in the U.S. can establish a tithe partnership to help build houses. Write DOMINICAN REPUBLIC on checks sent to: Habitat for Humanity International, Attn: Affiliate Tithe, 322 West Lamar St., Americus, GA 31709
CONTACT
Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic, Pidagro No. 58. Street, El Millón, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Phone: +1-809-547-2091 • [email protected]
