Earlier this year, it was announced that land across from the Kemptville District Hospital, donated by the Municipality of North Grenville, would be the construction site of a 15 unit townhome project spearheaded by the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. As anticipated, the construction has now begun on the project, with an estimated completion in 2024. The units will all be 2-bedroom accessible homes or 3 or 4-bedroom standard homes that will all include parking, and either a rear yard or a balcony.
Kemptville Korners is the largest Habitat for Humanity project ever to be undertaken in North Grenville, made possible by sponsors including Grenville Mutual Insurance and eQ Homes. Earlier this year, a fully loaded shed was raffled off in a fundraising effort to help support the project. As construction is progressing, more sponsors and fundraising efforts will be sought to make sure that the project is a success. Volunteers will also be needed to help with the build.
On a dedicated Facebook page created to follow the build, photos of various community volunteer groups working on the build have already been posted. Kemptville Korners is being built as a partnership between the Habitat for Humanity Thousand Islands and Greater Ottawa chapters, with a division of units agreed upon as such.
Habitat for Humanity homes are built in conjunction with community partners, typically requiring the intended purchaser of a home to donate volunteer hours in lieu of a down payment, and then pay off the cost of the home with an interest-free mortgage, the payments of which are geared toward income.
The cost of buying a home or even renting a place to live has become unbearable for many in recent years. High inflation rates have meant that a larger portion of household income must be dedicated to bills, food, fuel, and other expenses, leaving less money available for mortgage payments or rent. The cost of houses and rent rates have both also skyrocketed in recent years, far beyond the rate of inflation. This is due in large part to supply and demand – with more people seeking a place to live but not enough new homes being built, homes that are available are selling or renting for unprecedented prices, with some bringing in more than asking price. Housing projects such as Kemptville Korners are a positive step toward stable housing for all.
Anyone interested in volunteering with Habitat for Humanity should visit https://habitatgo.ca/get-involved/.
