Habitat for Humanity Yorkton was on hand at the regular meeting of Yorkton Council Monday to give the city a brief update on its efforts.
“Habitat for Humanity Yorkton is dedicated to eliminating sub-standard housing by building homes in partnership with the community.
Eligible families are working families who could otherwise not be able to afford a home,” reminded Habitat spokesperson Tom Seeley.
Seeley said families putt least 500-hours of sweat equity into their homes and then make “interest free payments on the appraised value of the home.”
Habitat for Humanity Yorkton has constructed three new homes and one complete inside-out renovation of a home over the past six years, explained Seeley, adding “More than twenty individuals are living in these homes.”
The City of Yorkton’s contribution to the Habitat program has been vital to the work of Habitat Yorkton, said Seeley.
Later in the same meeting Council unanimously approved a Development Permit which paves the way for the next Habitat project in the community, a Semi-Detached Dwelling use at 304 Myrtle Avenue.
“The property is now vacant after a Single-Detached Dwelling was demolished in October 2012,” explained Michael Eger, planner with the City.
“The units are each proposed to be one-storey in height, and each approximately 1,008 sq. ft. in main floor area. Each unit would have four bedrooms, with two on each the main and basement levels.
“Each side is to be separately serviced so they can be subdivided and sold separately.”
Eger noted the Official Community Plan Bylaw “states that the City should “encourage compact neighbourhood design in order to take advantage of existing infrastructure and maximize the use of new infrastructure associated with the development.”
At the same time, infill development shall “respect the existing character and (be) in context of the neighbourhood.”
