P.E.I. families on Habitat for Humanity wait list swells to 65

Habitat for Humanity is increasing the number of homes it plans to build over the next few years to help meet the demand for affordable housing on P.E.I.

CEO Aaron Brown says the housing crunch is an issue Habitat for Humanity has seen "bubbling under the surface" for the past few years.

"Three years ago, we'd be doing well if we had about five families on the wait list. We have 65 families on our wait list right now," he said in an interview on CBC Radio: Island Morning.

The organization plans to build 25 units in the next three years, Brown said. Most will be in the Charlottetown area, but for the first time they are also branching out to Lennox Island First Nation. 

67 homes since 1999

The new homes could free up rental spaces, he said.

"If we build 25 units in the next three years and 50 per cent of those folks come from government units, then that opens a certain number of units from government wait lists."

I can't see how we can satisfy this need.— Habitat for Humanity CEO Aaron Brown

Habitat for Humanity has provided affordable housing to 67 families on P.E.I. since 1999. Brown said they are able to increase their capacity by accessing capital through the federal government's national housing plan.

But he said it would require "divine intervention" to meet the current demand.

"If we were to come into some kind of bottomless pit of money and access to land, short of that I can't see how we can satisfy this need," he said.

It will take creative thinking and partnerships to solve the affordable housing issue on P.E.I., Brown said, and his group is just one piece of the puzzle.

Three criteria to qualify

Habitat for Humanity is a national non-profit organization that builds homes for families in need of housing. It provides an interest-free mortgage, based on 25 to 30 per cent of the applicant's income, with no down payment. 

Brown said there are three criteria to qualify for a Habitat for Humanity home:

• You have a core housing need, meaning you are in an overcrowded space perhaps causing safety or hygiene issues, or an "unrealistic amount" of your income is going toward rent.
• You agree to 500 hours of volunteer work, participate in the build and uphold and promote the values of Habitat for Humanity.
• You have a minimum income of about $23,000 and a maximum income of about $40,000, depending on the size of your family. 

Brown said there is a "spirit of innovation" within Habitat for Humanity. For example, the group is working with Efficiency PEI and UPEI's School of Sustainable Design Engineering to build more energy-efficient homes to help keep down costs. It is also planning to build townhouses as well as single detached homes.

"We need to do whatever we can and get as creative as we can to serve as many families in our area," he said. "In my opinion, nothing should be off the table."

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