Monroe County Habitat for Humanity has some low interest loans for people with low incomes to purchase a house.

Scott Fabian, the executive director and chief operating officer of Monroe County Habitat for Humanity, told the Monroe County Commissioners about the program during their meeting on Wednesday.

Fabian said they are now providing the USDA 502 direct loan, which is a subsidized mortgage for people with low to very low income through the United States Department of Agriculture. The loan has an interest rate as low as 1% for a term of 33 to 38 years.

“We’re the only organization in northeastern Pennsylvania packaging these loans. We’re the only Habitat for Humanity in Pennsylvania packaging those loans here,” Fabian said.

Within the next two weeks, the organization is helping its first family (a family of seven) with a 502 loan close on a renovated house in Stroudsburg.

“We’re very excited,” Fabian said. “They’re currently paying $2,400 a month in rent. The mortgage that we got them through this program will be about $943 a month, so that is life-changing for them.”

Fabian said that since they began accepting applications for these loans about a month ago, they have already received 46 applications. Habitat for Humanity is looking for more houses that can be rehabilitated for people with low income, he said. People can contact the organization for more information at 570-216-4390.

Fabian also mentioned that they are raffling off a heart-shaped tub for a fundraiser. People can enter to win by going to their website at https://habitatmc.com/.