Habitat for Humanity Northumberland says addressing the housing crisis requires more than building new affordable homes.
During a community conversation held as part of Habitat in Action Week, Habitat for Humanity Canada Senior Director of Programs Stacey Sawchuk and Habitat for Humanity Northumberland CEO Cathy Borowec discussed how the organization is expanding its work to include critical home repairs and housing preservation.
Sawchuk said the past several years have shown that new home construction alone is not enough to meet the growing demand for affordable housing. Instead, Habitat is placing greater emphasis on repairing existing homes before they become unsafe or uninhabitable.
Borowec said repairs such as roof replacements, mould remediation and accessibility upgrades can allow families to remain safely housed while protecting existing housing stock.
She noted that homelessness has become more visible in communities across Northumberland and that many of the people Habitat serves include lower income households, people with disabilities, single parent families and people from equity deserving communities.
Borowec added that the community needs a full range of housing options, including smaller homes for individuals and smaller families, as well as more supportive housing and rental opportunities to help people move back toward home ownership.
Habitat for Humanity Northumberland says it will continue building affordable homes while expanding repair programs that help keep more residents safely housed and strengthen communities across the county.
