Facts About Veterans and Affordable Housing

Safe, decent, affordable housing is the centerpiece of Veterans Build. Since 2013, over 9,095 veterans and their families have partnered with Habitat for Humanity worldwide to gain access to safe, affordable homeownership opportunities.

Here in Greater Green Bay, we are wrapping up construction on a home for a deserving local veteran and his family. It has been incredible to work alongside Bob and Janet and get to know them and their story.

If you've had questions about our Veterans Build program or want to learn how to get involved as a future homeowner, volunteer, or sponsor, please keep reading!

Statistics About Veterans and Homeownership

The National Low Income Housing Coalition finds that 2.5 million veterans heading households are at least 55 years of age. Of those 2.5 million veterans, 24% have housing cost burdens. Unlike our older civilians, our older veterans are more likely to have a disability — 35% versus 28% — which may require home modifications, health and other supportive services as they age.

Our female veteran population is in need as well. According to a report by the National Housing Conference, nearly half of our veterans who are single mothers spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Our female veterans face significant economic and housing challenges and are particularly vulnerable to housing cost burdens compared with our overall veteran population.

Likewise, our most recent veterans who served following 9/11 have returned to a slow-growing economy and rising housing costs. These economic factors have made the transition from military service to civilian life difficult for many of our veterans.

In addition, nearly 4 million of our veterans pay at least 30% of their income toward rent or mortgage, while more than 1.5 million pay at least 50%. As you can imagine, using half of your income to pay your rent or mortgage is an enormous strain on any budget.

volunteers working on the 2026 veterans build

When we open up our Homeownership Program application cycle, we encourage members of our community to go over the qualifications and apply. You can find more information here, but essentially, we build new construction homes for those who have a need for affordable housing, have the ability to pay the interest-free mortgage, and are willing to partner with Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity. If you are a veteran (active duty or retired and discharged) or family of the fallen and interested in partnering with us to purchase an affordable home with a 0% interest mortgage, please contact us today! 

Volunteering on a Veterans Build

We are always looking for individuals who want to give their time and talents on our build sites. With your support, we can help individuals and families in our community access safe, stable and affordable housing. General construction volunteers are needed to build this year’s Veterans Build home. No experience is necessary, and volunteers work under the guidance of our experienced crew. Volunteer opportunities are available for tasks on the build site that could include:
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• Framing walls
• Installing windows and doors
• Putting up siding
• Hanging drywall
• Cutting and nailing trim
• Painting
• Finish work
• And more!

You can learn about volunteer opportunities on our build sites by clicking here.

How To Donate to Veterans Build

Investing in Habitat's Veterans Build program allows companies and organizations to make a difference for veterans and active-duty service members and their families in the local community. By sponsoring a  Veterans Build,  you will support a Brown County family in addition to our local veteran and military community. Your support will help cover the costs of construction and in turn, you will be recognized through on-site signage, on social media, and on t-shirts that are worn by those working on the build site. 
You can read more about the program and find links to donate on our main Veterans Build page.