Habitat for Humanity’s Foothills chapter is all set to start work on its second project building a home for low-income families in the region, but it has one problem – the organization needs land.
Marilyn Boake, Foothills chapter chairperson, said the group wants to build in Okotoks, but a lack of suitable lots available in town might force them to look elsewhere.
“Our preference was to get into the Okotoks area because we have found that there has been tremendous support within Okotoks,” she said.
The organization met with town councilors last week to ask for their support to help secure a location in town.
Boake said there is a need for affordable housing in Foothills communities.
Families that become owners of a Habitat home must do 500 hours of volunteer time to help with construction. They also receive a no down payment, low interest mortgage set at 25 per cent of the family’s income.
Okotoks Mayor Bill Robertson said the Town of Okotoks doesn’t have any land it can provide Habitat for Humanity.
He said the Town could encourage developers to identify excess parcels of land that could be donated to the organization.
“We can certainly encourage developers to come forward with a donation like that, which would be great for the community,” said Robertson.
He said provincial approval of annexation, and funding for a water pipeline from Calgary, could make more land available over the long-run for Habitat for Humanity and other forms of affordable housing.
Habitat for Humanity built its first duplex project in High River and families moved in last year.
Boake said the organization has raised enough donations to start building a second home, but doesn’t have land.
“We are ready to go to buy land, we have cash in the bank ready to go,” said Boake.
She said they would like to be able to build in Okotoks, but might end up back in High River.
“There is land that’s appropriately zoned that’s available [in High River], so we may have to move forward with our second build project in High River,” said Boake.
She said construction likely won’t start until 2018.
With an approximate turn around time of two years between builds, Boake said she expects the Foothills chapter won’t start fundraising for its third project until sometime in 2018.
She said they are looking for a residential lot, suitable for a duplex, that is a minimum of 50 feet by 120 feet. Duplexes are the smallest home Habitat will build.
The preference is to have land donated. Where it isn’t, the only option is to buy land.
Boake said they have to be prudent about how much they end up paying for land to not bring up costs too high, both for the build project and the eventual owners.
“The money that we use to pay for land, it means we have to fundraise more to finish building the house,” she said.
Boake said they are open to whatever support the Town of Okotoks can provide.
“It is more of an awareness, we do not have a direct ask of the Town,” she said. “We just wanted for them to think about if they are aware of any suitable property that comes up to keep us in mind.”
