NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg said it will not accept first-time homebuyer applications for the first time.

The organization said the land prices are too high to purchase.

“It’s sort of a perfect storm right now between after the pandemic with interest rates so high,” said Janet Green, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg. “A lot of people aren’t moving out of their current homes because they can’t afford first-time home buyers.”

It’s making the non-profit’s mission of building affordable homes for local families nearly impossible.

“We do have funds available to buy some land,” Green said, “but we want to keep it affordable for these families, so we can’t pay market rate or what the for-profit developers are paying.”

She said last year, they had a record of 280 applications submitted.

Those families selected then can purchase a home with a 20-to-30-year mortgage with zero interest.

“That just shows how great the need is for more affordable housing here in our communities,” Green said.

With the shortage of affordable land to build on, applications have now been paused.

“We are so sad to have to turn people away,” she said.

She hopes some help from the community could lead to applications opening this fall.

“We hope and urge the community to help us work on the land and the homes so that we can build and renovate these houses for these deserving families that, again, teach us in our schools, feed us and take care of our parents,” Green said.

She added: “Maybe you see a dilapidated house, maybe you’ve got a piece of land that was left to you, and you can’t build on it, or you don’t want to build on it. Call Habitat. … We are looking for any piece of raw land, foreclosed house, a house that’s in need of the rehab.”

Donors with land or property in Hampton, Williamsburg, James City County, Newport News, Poquoson, York County, Charles City County or New Kent County are encouraged to contact info@habitatpgw.org or (757) 596-5553.

This will not affect the work on the 14 homes for applicants selected in 2022 and 2023.