Habitat for Humanity has launched a 'revolutionary' repair program

A ribbon cutting for a new Habitat for Humanity project took place at 982 South Street in Windsor on July 11, 2023. (Source: Aaron Mahoney/AM800 News)

Habitat for Humanity launched its repair revolution program in west Windsor Tuesday, outside of a newly renovated home.

It's part of the area's affordable housing stock that has been unoccupied due to its poor condition.

The renovation means it can be a home again.

Habitat executive director and CEO Fiona Coughlin said the organization is focusing on securing work with the community housing corporation (CHC) to maintain safe, decent and affordable housing.

“We do think that we can repair these houses faster and better and more cost-effectively than anyone else in the city and that's why we think we're winning the bids on the CHC houses and we think that funds that are coming from the CHC going to a habitat repair program is only going grow our impact and our partnership.”

According to CHC, approximately 60 of its homes that are unoccupied need repair to help clear a waitlist of those looking for affordable housing.

CEO Cynthia Summers hopes to have them fixed and ready to welcome families within the next two years.

“This is a national-wide crisis in that we haven't kept up with the new builds and the restorations to the pace that, you know we have people moving into communities,” said summers. “For example with Windsor, we have plants opening, we have to plan for the fact that we're going to require housing for those people.”

The program is one of six pilot projects across the country.

The repair program in Windsor-Essex is backed by a two-year Ontario trillium grant of $272,000 that will pay for a new van, tools and a program facilitator.