Join Justice United leaders and Habitat for Humanity of Orange County to publicly launch our "Heaven Practice Housing" campaign for deeply affordable homeownership.

Learn more about the affordable housing crisis -- and how the community can unite to create bold solutions.

Heaven Practice Housing, an initiative of Orange County Justice United in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, expands access to affordable homeownership for hard-working households. Drawing on the leadership and support of faith communities, we seek to build Beloved Community through strategic partnership, community action, and the love of neighbors.

The campaign goal is to raise an additional $2 million to provide affordability subsidies for approximately 10-15 homebuyers in Habitat’s Auman Village development. Learn more about Auman Village here: https://www.orangehabitat.org/aumanvillage.

These Heaven Practice Housing funds will create homeownership opportunities for households who otherwise meet Habitat’s standard homeownership qualifications but whose incomes, without an additional subsidy, would not qualify under Habitat’s existing affordability guidelines. Our vision is to expand the homeownership opportunity to more households earning the incomes of essential workers such as CNAs, bus drivers, custodial staff, and daycare workers. 

Frequently Asked Questions for the October 11 Heaven Practice Housing Launch

1) Will I or my congregation be asked to donate or make a pledge at the October 11 Heaven Practice Housing launch? 

Answer: No. (All donations are of course welcome, but there will not be a call for donations or pledges at this time.) The campaign launch will instead make these three asks:

• To learn about the growing crisis of affordable homeownership -- and the possibility of our community uniting to ensure that essential workers still have a chance to apply for homeownership.
• To consider participating in a congregational team to support the fundraising. Teams will have five months to decide on a three-year pledge and a strategy, and can receive support from Justice United at every step. All participating teams will return on Sunday, March 7, 2027 to announce their three-year pledge goal.
• To consider supporting the campaign in other capacities -- including connecting the campaign to other donors, foundations, and corporate leaders.

2) Why is it important to have a large turnout on October 11 for the Heaven Practice Housing launch?

Answer: A large turnout will:

• Show public officials in attendance the groundswell of community support for deeply affordable homeownership. 
• Show each other that we are committed to this deeply affordable homeownership effort. Affordable housing providers are facing unprecedented challenges. If we are going to address these challenges with a bold solution, then strong and persistent community commitment will be critical.
• Engage the broader community: Members of the media and other community partners will be attending. If they see the strength of community support, they are more likely to promote and support our goal for deeply affordable homeownership.

3) Is this campaign in competition with Habitat's existing capital campaign for Auman Village? Do I or my congregation need to choose between giving to Habitat vs. giving to Justice United's Heaven Practice Housing campaign?

Answer: Absolutely not! For the Auman Village capital campaign and the Heaven Practice Housing campaign, our vision is that they will be mutually beneficial, and that the complementary goals will engage and energize the community to support both campaigns. 

• The Auman Village capital campaign is essential for ensuring that affordable homes are built. It helps Habitat acquire land, develop the site, and build the homes.
• The Heaven Practice Housing campaign expands the income range eligible to apply by raising additional affordability subsidies.
• Together, the two campaigns expand both the supply of affordable homes and the access to homeownership.

The timing of the two campaigns allows for complementary support. The Auman Village campaign is expected to conclude by Fall 2028, while the Heaven Practice Housing campaign will continue through the final Auman Village homebuyer application cycle, currently anticipated to be in 2030. This staggered timeline allows donors to spread out their support over several years, and participate in both campaigns if they choose.