Habitat for Humanity unlocks doors to homeownership for 6 Quebec families
Condo building in Lachine will start welcoming families in summer 2024
Ines Maurette says she's one of the lucky ones.
In just a few months, the single mother will be a homeowner, finally capable of giving her 13-year-old daughter a safe and clean space to call home.
"For me, it's like a new life and my dream come true," said Maurette.
The pair will be moving out of what Maurette calls a poorly managed, deteriorating apartment building in Montreal's Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough and into a brand new condo building in Lachine.
It's thanks to Habitat for Humanity Quebec, a local non-profit organization that offers affordable homeownership to low-income families living in precarious housing situations.
Six families from the greater Montreal area have been selected to move into the condo building in southwestern Montreal, which is currently being constructed, starting in summer 2024.
Maurette says not only is this opportunity the sole way she could ever become a homeowner, but likely the only way she could continue living in the city.
"I was scared that I cannot live in Montreal anymore because of the prices — the rent prices are so high," she said.
Positive impact of homeownership
Sophie Dalbec, director of volunteer and family services at Habitat for Humanity Quebec, says the selection process for the families is "long and rigorous." The minimum requirements to qualify for the program include being a family with at least one dependent child living in inadequate conditions and having a minimum gross income of $50,000.
Each family must be able to cover their monthly mortgage payments and other expenses, as well as contribute at least 500 volunteer hours to Habitat for Humanity Quebec.
There is no down payment on the homes and the families have a mortgage with the non-profit instead of a bank.
The mortgage is 70 per cent interest-free and the monthly payments are set at no more than 30 percent of the families' gross household income.
Dalbec says for these people, the impact of owning a home cannot be overstated.
"Becoming a homeowner is a way to build capital, build equity which obviously brings you financial stability and is something you can pass down to your children," she said.
She also says the majority of people that participate in the program report that homeownership has had a positive impact on their health, their children's academics and their household's overall financial situation.
But for most Montrealers, this lifestyle is out of reach these days.
Affordability crisis worsening
Housing advocates have said the housing affordability crisis in Montreal is getting worse month by month and are calling on all levels of government to take concrete action to reverse the trend.
Last month, the Quebec government said it plans to spend $1.8 billion over five years — half of which comes from the federal government — to build 7,500 affordable housing units, and 500 units for homeless people in the province.
Meanwhile, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) estimates that Quebec needs to build more than 800,000 units by 2030 to solve the affordability problems.
Shirlane Day, executive director for Habitat for Humanity Quebec, says her organization's newest project in Lachine is one way to help tackle the province's housing crisis.
"Many years ago, we used to do single homes … and this one is unique because it's a six-unit condo and our wish is to really [apply] that in other places," she said, including outside Montreal.
To build the units, Habitat for Humanity Quebec teamed up with construction company Groupe Montoni and the Montoni Foundation.
The foundation donated $300,000 and the company, which is building at a reduced cost, also raised an additional $300,000.
While the non-profit already receives some funding from the CMHC, Day is seeking financial help from all levels of government to create more projects for more low-income families.
"It has to be something that everyone is involved in," she said.
Meanwhile, Habitat for Humanity Quebec will stay in touch with the six families once they move into the Lachine condo building in the summer.
Workers will walk families through the finances and responsibilities of homeownership and be available throughout the years to help out if necessary.
"With us, there is that long relationship between Habitat and those families," said Dalbec.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
