Habitat completes two more affordable homes in Maxville

The first semi-detached homes built by Habitat for Humanity Cornwall & The Counties have officially opened in Maxville. Two local families purchased these new, affordable homes with an interest-free, income-matched mortgage owned by Habitat Cornwall.

As rents and housing prices continue to rise across the country, working with key community stakeholders to provide the opportunity for affordable home ownership is more important than ever.

In the five years before COVID-19, Habitat for Humanity Cornwall & The Counties built three homes. As of 2020, the organization has built five homes, with two more planned for 2024. In direct response to the growing affordable housing crisis, Habitat began building semi-detached homes to increase the number of families served. This depends on fundraising, local support, donations, zoning and more. With a total of seven homes designed over a four-year period, Habitat Cornwall is effectively doubling its local impact. This is happening at a time when construction costs are still very high.

The building lot for Habitat Cornwall’s first semi-detached project was donated by the Township of North Glengarry. A wide variety of local businesses made financial and in-kind contributions to help complete the homes.

These donors all recognized the importance of stable and affordable housing for local families. The fact that funds are raised locally and stay locally under this program makes an even bigger impact.

Partner families buy these homes at fair market value; Habitat for Humanity offers them a mortgage that will never exceed 30% of their income. The newest members of the Habitat family completed 500 hours of volunteering with the organization, which included a homeowner education module, to get things going. Habitat for Humanity houses are not a helping hand; I’m a hand up.

As housing prices continue to rise across the country, working in the community to provide affordable housing is more important than ever.

Habitat Cornwall Board Chair Hank Blasiak said: “I am proud to say that these two families have met the requirements of Habitat for Humanity Cornwall & The Counties and have the opportunity to purchase these new affordable homes. Their dedication shows that they are dedicated to their families and that they have invested in their home ownership. We wish them stability, strength, growth and years of cherished memories built on their dreams, determination and hard work.”

Habitat Cornwall is breaking ground on another semi-detached project, this time in Ingleside. The Ingleside project will mark the third and fourth homes under construction in 2024.

For more information, contact Leigh Taggart at 613-938-0413, ext.2002, [email protected].