Estevan’s Habitat for Humanity committee hopes to proceed with the construction of another home this year, and the selection of a new partner family is an important part of the process.
Doug Barnstable, the chairperson of the local committee, said they will be hosting a home ownership information session on March 23 at 1 p.m. at the Days Inn’s Fireside Room, for anyone interested in becoming partners with Habitat in owning their own home.
Applicants need to have several qualifications, including annual earnings of between $32,000 and $66,500. They must have lived in Canada for more than three years and in Estevan for more than two, they must have had a regular and reliable source of income for at least one year, and they must be interested in paying a mortgage that is interest-free with no down payment, set at 25 per cent of their income.
The partner family also has to be willing to contribute 500 hours of sweat equity to the construction of that home.
“And, if they already have their own home, or if they are able to obtain a conventional mortgage, they’re not eligible for a Habitat home,” said Barnstable. “It’s not intended to allow somebody to remortgage and get into another home, it’s intended for individuals who have difficulty finding the money to make a down payment in today’s mortgage environment.”
People who attend the meeting will be able to find out how they apply and pick up the form. Barnstable pointed out it’s the only place to get an application form. Someone from the interested family has to be in attendance at the meeting.
The presentation itself will start at 1:30 p.m. and lasts about 90 minutes, and includes a question and answer session.
“We have currently about eight families that have indicated interest over the last year, and we have added their names to the list where we have sent off the information to them and contacted them to make sure they come to this,” said Barnstable.
A decision on the next partner family likely won’t be made for a couple of months. The first application form has to be returned within a week of the meeting, and then the Habitat committee will take all of those applications and create a short-list. Then applicants will have to fill out a long form, which takes about a month to complete.
After a review by the local Habitat committee, they will recommend two finalists. The Regina Habitat for Humanity committee will then make the final decision.
Barnstable said the committee wants to start construction on the house in June, and it should be finished in October. The home would be in the Matchett Bay subdivision, to the west of the first local Habitat for Humanity home, which was completed in 2017.
Fundraising for the build is ongoing. A poker tournament was held on Saturday and a cash lottery is underway.
“We are currently at about 85 per cent of our total fund requirements, so we’re continuing to fundraise,” said Barnstable. “We’d like to have it all in place, if we can, by the 1st of June, but we’ll continue to be in contact with individuals and businesses, and also doing the fundraisers.”
Also, 10 cents from every litre of fuel sold at the Southern Plains Co-op’s Estevan service stations on March 23 will be directed to Habitat for Humanity.
