Habitat for Humanity's Mountain View chapter has the title to land in Olds where it hopes to build a pair of duplexes. Now it needs to raise enough money to start construction by the spring of 2017.
Peter Braithwaite is a board member of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta and the Mountain View chapter's representative. He provided an update on the organization's activities since securing a few key bylaw amendments at Olds town council last summer.
Braithwaite said each duplex costs about $300,000. Each building will house two low-income families. He adds they are close to confirming who they will be.
Habitat is seeking donations as it is about $80,000 shy of construction, he said.
The organization also needs core volunteers on its chapter board. There are currently a few positions open: vice chair, fund development chair, fund development committee members and a volunteer coordinator.
"Those are all pretty key areas. We need people to go out and interact with the community. I'm down in Carstairs and I'm the chair," Braithwaite said.
"We would like to have more representation directly with the Town of Olds, particularly within the next three or four years."
Habitat for Humanity helps low-income families, who wouldn't qualify for a mortgage from the banks, achieve home ownership. Instead of a down payment, they work 500 hours, or "sweat equity" as it's called, on Habitat-approved projects. Then they enter a mortgage with the organization with payments set at 25 per cent of gross income, he said.
"Which is less than the usual. That allows them more funds available for development of their children, putting their children into recreation and after- school activities," he said.
Families also receive educational programming in areas like home maintenance and financial planning.
Braithwaite said that for many of the "fairly vulnerable" families that partner with Habitat, home ownership means stability. No more worrying about the rent increasing because the payments are now set. No more moving because the landlord needs them gone.
The children in particular, achieve higher educational and health outcomes, he said.
"People who come into partnership with Habitat generally, after the first year or so, are much more self-sufficient," he said.
And if that family decides they've outgrown their home, they can sell it back to the organization at market price. Habitat then refurbishes it and repeats the process with another family in need.
"People who come into partnership with Habitat generally, after the first year or so, are much more self-sufficient." PETER BRAITHWAITE, Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta board member and Mountain View chapter representative
