KOP Insiders: Keith Sterling, CEO at Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties

KOP Insiders delves into the stories of the people who make King of Prussia one of Pennsylvania’s most dynamic live-work-play-stay destinations.

In depth interviews provide insight into the companies that make up our diverse business community and put a face to the individuals behind the business. In this edition, we are joined by Keith Sterling, CEO at Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties.

Can you start by sharing a bit about the mission of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties, and what drives your organization’s impact in the community?

Our primary mission is to provide safe and affordable housing for everyone. We achieve this in several ways: by building homes, rehabbing homes, and repairing homes that people already own. In the world of affordable housing, there are three key components. The first is sheltering the homeless. The second is providing subsidized rental properties for individuals who cannot compete in today’s rental market. The third—our niche—is providing affordable homes for ownership. That’s our focus.

Beyond that, we do a significant amount of critical home repair work, primarily in Delaware County. We’ve been chosen to administer a $7.2M grant, which will fund approximately 350 to 400 home repairs over a three-year cycle. These repairs are vital for people who desperately need them—individuals with disabilities who can’t access the second floor of their homes, for example. We install stair chair lifts, build ramps, and fix broken windows or leaking roofs. Some of the stories are truly heartbreaking.

This work is also a great investment for the community. Many homes are in disrepair and maintaining them helps preserve the local housing inventory. In Delaware County, the average home is about 65 years old, while in other areas, it’s slightly younger, around 48 years. This is simply part of the real estate life cycle, and not everyone has the resources and wherewithal to handle necessary repairs.

What factors influenced your decision to move your HQ to King of Prussia?

I grew up in the area, so I remember when King of Prussia was just a drive-in movie theater and a golf course. Seeing how it has grown over the last 60 years has been truly marvelous. When I took over the affiliate, we were based in an industrial building in West Norriton. It was great—we owned the building, and we still do—but we had outgrown it. It no longer met our needs or conveyed the image we wanted to present to the communities and constituencies we serve. So, we began searching for a new home.

Honestly, the only reason we could afford to move into King of Prussia was because of Morgan Properties. They were incredibly kind and generous in allowing us to move into their former headquarters. When we spoke with them, they told us they were looking for the right organization to take over the space. They gave us a huge discount—without their generosity, we probably wouldn’t be there. Big shoutout to Morgan Properties. As a nonprofit, we can’t afford the high rents in today’s market, but they made it possible for us.

Since moving here, we’ve felt nothing but warmth and support. From Upper Merion Township officials to King of Prussia District, the welcome has been overwhelming. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be in King of Prussia. Not only is it a wonderful community, but it also happens to be centrally located between Montgomery and Chester counties. With 50 miles stretching from Pottstown to Chester, we’re right in the middle, allowing our teams to efficiently travel wherever they’re needed, whether for critical home repairs, building new homes, or neighborhood revitalization. It’s the perfect hub for us, and we feel truly blessed to be here.

How has being located in King of Prussia strengthened your organization’s ability to support individuals and families who need affordable and attainable homes, and broadened your impact?

I can’t tell you what a difference it makes to move from an industrial park—where no one even knows you exist—to a space like this. We take immense pride in hosting local organizations and elected officials at this location, and our Habitat homeowners have had an easier time finding us. This suite fosters productivity, allowing us to hold more interactive and efficient meetings, because of the spacious meeting area and advanced technology. Our team enjoys working in such a dynamic environment, and we’re exploring the idea of hosting workshops and collaborating with local associations. King of Prussia has truly become a central hub, not only for us and our two counties but also for people from across the region.

That is great to hear! Can you share some insights about the profiles of the homeowners that you work with?

As you might imagine, a sizable portion of the funding we receive to build or rehab homes comes from government sources. We partner with state, county, and mostly local jurisdictions to secure this funding. Most of it is designated for individuals in the 30% to 80% range of the area’s Average Median Income (AMI). This is the group we serve.

To qualify, individuals need to have a stable job, and they must either live or work in the county. Once these basic criteria are met, we assess additional factors to determine the greatest need—families with disabled children, single-parent households, and others in challenging situations. We filter through all these economic parameters and determine where the needs are the greatest and focus on. The people we assist are all part of the workforce—police officers, nurses, teachers. These aren’t homes given away as charity; we sell these homes. Our goal is to make them affordable, not to offer free housing.

How can local businesses and residents best support your efforts?

There are so many ways people can support us. Right now, we have an event called Women’s Build Day, which has turned into Women’s Build Month because of the incredible response. Women have really rallied behind this initiative, forming groups, raising money, and showing up in force to help with the Pottstown builds. These groups, often consisting of 10 people, are bringing checks for $5,000 to cover the cost of materials for the day, which will help us build homes. It’s amazing how quickly things come together with this kind of support.

On the corporate side, we have a number of generous sponsors, including banks, law firms and businesses that align with the mission. Many of our supporters are based in the King of Prussia area, which is home to a great supply base of manufacturers and distributors. For example, we recently received a large donation of cabinets and flooring for our ReStore retail operation. These items could have ended up in a landfill, but instead, they thought of us. The donors got tax write-offs, and we were able to sell these products in our stores at a fraction of the retail price, earning $90,000. We’ve also received large deliveries of furniture from companies updating their environments or even downsizing their office space.  It’s truly a win-win scenario for everyone involved.

Whether it’s through volunteering, donating to our foundation or providing excess supplies that would have gone to waste, the support we receive is overwhelming. The Habitat name carries weight, and people are always willing to listen. Once corporations understand that we’re building homes for their employees, people who are moving from apartment to apartment, struggling to keep up with inflation—they really connect with the mission. It’s when they see how their contributions make a direct impact on their workforce that the lightbulb goes off, and they become strong supporters.

Are there any other projects or initiatives coming up in the near future that you are excited about?

In the fall, we’ll be focusing on neighborhood revitalization. What we do is open ourselves up to communities that have strong leadership and express interest in our help. Whether it’s cleaning up the neighborhood, painting porches or building playgrounds, we dedicate ourselves to giving back. We arrange for our sponsors, volunteers, and board members to partner with local community leaders who want to see their neighbors improve and garner a lasting sense of commitment. In the past, we’ve had situations where communities didn’t really engage, and that didn’t feel as fulfilling. We’ve learned to go where we’re welcome, and the community is excited to participate in making a positive impact.

One of my counterparts had a brilliant idea in Wilmington. They worked with Ring to install over 200 doorbell devices on a crime-ridden street. The crime problem was solved overnight because everything on the street was being recorded. They did it with an army of volunteers over four Saturdays. It was a powerful difference. I’d love to do something like that in a community that wants to make a change. I’m sure we’d have a ton of sponsors because people understand that these kinds of initiatives can have transformative effects.

We’ve renovated homes in areas where we thought we were helping, but the truth is, people wanted to live somewhere safer and more secure. We focus on providing families with access to good schools and an environment to improve their lives. It’s deeply fulfilling. I encourage you to attend one of our home dedications and witness the emotional impact—whether it’s seeing the tears of joy in a Habitat homeowner, or watching the kids play in the backyard of their own home. It’s a truly rewarding experience for everyone involved because you understand that this is the beginning of a better life, and an opportunity to build equity and generational wealth.

Well, thank you so much for your time, Keith. Is there anything else you would like to share about Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties?

The main thing I want to emphasize is that we’re open for business. If anyone has an idea or a desire to give back, whether it’s volunteering at one of our ReStores or donating items like lighting from a shop, these contributions are incredibly valuable to us. Every dollar, every effort of support matters. For instance, this year alone, I’ve received close to $200,000 in pro bono legal services from several of the major law firms in Philadelphia. That’s money I would have had to raise otherwise, and it’s been a huge help.

We don’t want people to think of supporting us only in terms of writing a check. There are so many other ways people can help. Honestly, when I bring a new board member on, I tell them that I’d rather have access to their network than just their bank account, because everyone knows someone who can help us tackle this problem. And it’s a real problem. They understand it, their workforce understands it and while there’s only so much we can do, we’re trying.

About Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties

The Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties (“HFHMDC”) has dedicated over 35 years to providing attainable and affordable homeownership opportunities for income-qualified households across Montgomery and Delaware Counties. Since our inception in 1989, we have provided 112 affordable mortgages and served over 240 owner-occupied households through critical health, safety, and accessibility repairs. We have impacted over 350 households across all programs in both counties and have invested nearly $15M in the Affiliate’s history in affordable housing development initiatives. Our commitment extends beyond housing, through revitalizing neighborhoods, stimulating economic growth, and bolstering communities in their pursuit of safe living environments for all.

Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties
160 Clubhouse Rd, Suite 200
King of Prussia, PA 19406

www.habitatmontdelco.org