Habitat for Humanity Canada recently marked “National Housing Day” by reflecting on how affordable home-ownership helps many local families.
National Housing Day brings attention to how important having access to a safe, decent and affordable place to live is, as well as how many Canadians do not have that luxury. National Housing Day commemorates the moment in November 1998 when the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Big City Mayors’ Caucus joined with frontline housing and public health advocates to declare homelessness a national disaster.
According to a recent report from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, there are 1.5 million families that can’t find safe, decent housing they can afford. Also, one in five renters spends half their income on shelter.
People relying on Canada’s 600,000 social housing homes are vulnerable as more federal operating agreements permanently expire each year. Average shelter occupancy rates are again pushing 90 per cent, driven by longer stays among families and older Canadians. Housing is becoming less affordable at every income level.
Since 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada has helped Canadian families, including Indigenous families, gain strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable home-ownership. Habitat’s innovative model helps bridge the gap between social/rental housing and market housing. It frees up much needed units in social or rental housing for Canadians, as 37 per cent of Habitat families that buy their own home come directly from social housing.
“Affordable home-ownership — the focus of our work in Canada — has benefits that reach far beyond four walls,” said Mark Rodgers, Habitat Canada’s President and CEO. “Families living in Habitat homes reduce their reliance on food banks, have better educational and employment outcomes as well as improved health.”
During consultations with the federal government on a National Housing Strategy, Habitat Canada made the following recommendations: reduce the level of core housing need for vulnerable groups through investments in Indigenous housing, homelessness, affordable rental housing and maintaining and expanding the stock of social housing.
Work with Indigenous communities to create and implement an Indigenous Housing Strategy, and invest in Habitat’s Affordable Home-ownership program over the next eight years to create new affordable homes and renovate additional homes in northern communities.
The Habitat for Humanity model is based on a partnership between the family, the community, volunteers, the private sector and, at times, with modest one-time contributions from different orders of governments. In many cases, Habitat works with local skills and apprentice programs.
They build homes in different forms, ranging from single-detached to multi-unit to mixed-use. The size of developments can exceed 60 units. Habitat families work alongside volunteers to help build their homes and pay an affordable, no-interest mortgage geared to the family’s income level. The average Habitat home generates $175,000 of benefits to society.
