Habitat for Humanity is looking to help tackle the housing crisis in Chatham-Kent by offering two local families a new affordable home.
Groundbreaking for a semi-detached home on Houston Street is set to begin in late June or early July. Once complete, the new home will mark the seventh and eighth builds for the region.
"Our plan has always been to build homes for local families," said Office and Volunteer Manager Anne Taylor. "There's a great need for affordable housing and we try to help out where we can."
The homes, which are being built on a piece of donated land, will include three bedrooms and an unfinished basement.
"We are going to be building on land that was donated to us," said Taylor. "The landowner's only request was for us to build a home for a family. We're happy to see his wishes through and not just build a home for one family but two."
According to Restore Director Mike Coyne, as an alternative to a down payment, Habitat for Humanity asks applicants to pledge 500 volunteer hours toward building their home and providing community service.
He said mortgage payments are capped at no more than 30 per cent of a family's household income and do not accrue interest.
To qualify for the program, applicants must be Canadian citizens, have children under the age of 18 living at home, and spend more than 30 per cent of their monthly income on housing costs.
"It's a huge advantage to become part of this program," said Coyne. "If you think about the value of a home and think about the amount of interest a homeowner would pay over the lifespan of a mortgage. It's worth putting some time and energy into filling out the eligibility questionnaire."
Habitat for Humanity is still looking for two families for its upcoming build. To find out if you're eligible for the program, interested residents can fill out an online questionnaire.
"If you have a reasonable income but can't get a mortgage because the cost of a house is beyond what a bank is willing to lend you, we might be the answer you're looking for," said Coyne. "This may be the only chance someone has in this current marketplace."
