Posted by admin on Apr 29, 2009 in
British Columbia,
CMHC,
Canada Read this great story, says Tanya Hutchens. The Murakami family arrived on Salt Spring Island in B.C. from Japan in 1896 and prospered, developing a sizeable farm. All that changed when Japan entered the Second World War. Canada interned west coast residents of Japanese descent and confiscated their property. Rose and Richard Murakami were toddlers when they were removed from the Island early in 1943; they remember the less-than-stellar welcome they received when they came back in 1954, the only interned Japanese-Canadian family to return.
That history didn’t deter them from wanting to help those of their neighbours struggling to afford the escalating cost of housing on Salt Spring Island. They knew from their childhood experience what it’s like to live in substandard shelter; they decided to help others as a memorial to their parents.
Among the properties the Murakamis acquired as they rebuilt their lives on the Island was an old fish plant. The first step towards developing affordable housing on the site was to secure CMHC Seed Funding–a total of $20,000, half of which was a grant, the other an interest-free loan repayable if the project succeeded.
CMHC also contributed $60,000 in interest-free Proposal Development Funding (PDF) loan. The eventual proposal was for 27 apartments–six studio units, 14 one-bedroom units, five two-bedroom units and two three-bedroom units. Because the proposal was to convert the old fish plant into housing, the project qualified for $648,000 from CMHC’s Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP). In 2006, the Murakamis approached the Salt Spring Island Community Services Society with the idea of partnering with them on the conversion the unused building into housing. The Society agreed to become the sponsor and owner-operator of the project.
The B.C. Ministry of Housing and Social Services and BC Housing provided $75,000 in PDF and a grant of $1,312,000 and interim financing of $1.8 million during construction. The Murakami gift was valued at $473,412 and the family also provided a forgivable loan of $200,000.
The Salt Spring Island Community Services Society provided approximately $100,000. The Capital Region Housing Trust Fund–Salt Spring Island is part of B.C.’s Capital Region–provided $324,000. The Real Estate Foundation of B.C. granted $50,000.
Energy and Resources Canada provided funding to cover the costs of a solar water heater. The B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources provided $15,000 toward the cost of a solar hot water system, heat pumps and upgraded insulation through its Community Action on Energy Efficiency (CAEE) program.
The Islands Trust, the provincial body responsible for planning on Salt Spring Island, agreed to increase the density it would allow and reduce the parking requirement because of the project’s affordability target. An Island resident provided an interest-free loan during construction of $500,000. The total capital cost was slightly over $5 million. CMHC insured the $1,800,000 mortgage. After four years of hard work by the Murakamis, the Society and its development team, Murakami Gardens was officially opened in October 2008.
Rents are $560 for a studio, unit $667 for a one-bedroom unit, $839 for a two- bedroom suite and $1,065 for a three- bedroom suite. The people who have become tenants of Murakami Gardens met eligibility criteria as required by the various funding partners and the Islands Trust, which includes maximum income limits. Tenants also have access to services provided by Salt Spring Island Community Services, which may help them enhance their self- sufficiency.
The Society, founded in 1975, delivers a broad range of services on Salt Spring and the other southern Gulf Islands, says Tanya Hutchens, including family and parenting support, emergency housing for youth, wellness programs for seniors, mental health and addictions services, recreation and recycling programs.
Tags: B.C, British Columbia, Canada, capital, CMHC, Community, Energy, funding, Housing, loan, Murakami, Murakamis, project, Proposal, Rose, Society, Tanya Hutchens
Posted by admin on Apr 29, 2009 in
CMHC,
Canada,
Newfoundland The Wiseman Centre in downtown St. John’s, Newfoundland, has been operated by the Salvation Army as a men’s shelter since 1986. By 2005, it was clear that the Centre was under-resourced. It could provide only basic food and temporary shelter and the Centre’s 100-year-old building on Water Street was badly in need of repairs.
Many of the Centre’s clients were repeat visitors, between the ages of 30 and 65, and they had no support services. Providing temporary food and lodging did little to help these men find work or support services.
Now the solution, says Tanya Hutchens:
Working with the St. John’s Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness, the Salvation Army secured capital funding from the federal government’s National Homelessness Initiative. With the assistance of CMHC, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and federal and provincial government agencies, the Salvation Army closed the Water Street centre, opened a temporary centre and started renovations.
Renovations included maintaining the building’s heritage features. The Salvation Army intends the renovated building to be a source of enjoyment for the residents, to raise their self-esteem and empower them to take responsibility for their recovery. In 2007, the centre re-opened with 20 rooms for stays of less than two months. An extension to the building added 10 rooms for longer-term residents. Each has its own bathroom, microwave, refrigerator and dining table.
There is a large, well furnished common area for community activities. There is also a library, a meditation room, a job search centre, a computer and Internet access. Residents do all the cooking and cleaning at the Centre as part of their life-skills training. The Centre’s staff includes a psychologist, a social worker, a life-skills coach and an outreach worker. They have basically got everything now, notes Tanya Hutchens.
Several groups contributed to the $3-million Wiseman Centre renovation:
- CMHC and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador: $750,000 through the Affordable Housing Initiative and $240,000 in Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) funding.
- The federal government, through the National Homelessness Initiative: $1,397,500.
- The province conveyed the Wiseman Centre property, valued at $396,000, to the Salvation Army.
- The Salvation Army raised $1,225,436.
- The corporate community provided in-kind support of $119,570.
- The centre receives roughly $600,000 a year for operating costs from the provincial Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.
Tags: Centre, food, funding, government, Homelessness, Initiative, Labrador, National, Newfoundland, province, shelter, St. John, support, Tanya Hutchens, Wiseman
Posted by admin on Apr 28, 2009 in
CMHC There are almost as many types of condos as there are kinds of people who want to live in them. Residential condominiums can range from high- and low-rise apartment buildings to townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, single detached homes, freehold plots or even mixed-use condominiums that include retail or commercial space. They can also feature a wide variety of amenities designed to suit almost any budget or lifestyle.
If you’re in the market for a condo, says Tanya Hutchens, you have to look at this report by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), they offer the following tips to help you make sure your new home meets your needs, preferences and price range:
- Be aware of what is, and what is not, included in the purchase price. For instance, are amenities such as pools and parking available? Are finishes within the units included? Are utilities (gas, electricity and water charges) covered in the monthly condominium fees? These questions must be considered when comparing the overall costs of different condominiums.
- Investigate the condo’s set of rules, regulations and by-laws. These can range from restrictions on the number of unit occupants to limits on pets, noise and parking. These rules are designed to ensure that the condominium is properly operated and maintained, that the rights of each owner are protected and that the living environment stays peaceful and harmonious. Make sure to read a copy of them before you make any decisions. This information should be readily available from the seller, property manager, Board of Directors or the condominium’s governing documents.
- Know the unit’s boundaries, which may vary considerably from one condo to another. In some condominiums, the boundaries of your unit could end behind the interior drywall of the dividing walls. In others, it might only go as far as the wall’s centre line. For a freehold or bare or vacant land condo, the individual unit encompasses the entire house, including the exterior walls, roof and even the land surrounding it. Make sure you understand exactly where your unit’s boundaries begin and end, especially if you’re planning to carry out any alterations or renovations.
- Determine whether your condominium includes some “exclusive use common property elements”. These are areas such as balconies, parking spaces, storage lockers, driveways and front or rear lawns. While these spaces are for your exclusive use, there may be restrictions on how and when you can use them. For example, you may not be able to park a boat, RV or commercial vehicle in your assigned parking spot, or there may be restrictions on what you can place on your balcony.
For more information or a free copy of the Condominium Buyers’ Guide or other fact sheets on owning, maintaining or renovating your home, call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642. For more than 60 years, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been Canada’s national housing agency and a source of objective, reliable housing expertise. This CMHC report was reviewed by Tanya Hutchens.
Tags: Canada, CMHC, condo, condominium, Home, Housing, information, land, Mortgage, parking, price, property, Tanya Hutchens
Posted by admin on Apr 27, 2009 in
CMHC As we age, we look forward to living independently in the place we’ve come to call home. However, many homes are not well designed to meet our changing needs as we get older. This is why, for more than a decade, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been working to help seniors who meet certain criteria pay for minor home adaptations. This is done through a program called HASI, or Home Adaptations for Seniors’ Independence.
These home adaptations are minor enough that they do not dramatically change the environment of the home. They could be as simple as changing the knob on the front door to a home.
Harry, a retiree and grandfather, has been living in the same home in Halifax for 40 years. At one time, the heavy knob on the front door to his home was stylish and he turned it with ease. In recent years, however, because of his arthritis, he gets frustrated as he tries to turn the knob. The replacement of the old knob with a new lever door handle makes this task much easier and less frustrating.
Door handles represent just one example of the home adaptations HASI can make possible. Other typical adaptations include: installation of a small ramp to the front door; handrails in corridors; walk-in showers with grab bars; bathtub grab bars and seats; and easy-to-reach storage areas in the kitchen. Between 1996 and 2005, HASI assisted more than 25,000 households.
Who is eligible for HASI? Homeowners and landlords alike may qualify for assistance as long as the occupant of the dwelling where the adaptations will be made meets certain criteria such as: being 65 years of age or older; experiencing difficulty with normal daily activities brought on by aging; and living in a permanent residence. The occupant must also have a total income below a certain amount, based on where he/she lives in Canada.
Those who qualify for assistance through HASI can receive help in the form of a forgivable loan of up to $3,500. The loan does not have to be repaid, as long as the homeowner agrees to occupy the unit for the six month loan forgiveness period. In cases where the adaptation work is being done on a rental unit, the landlord must agree that rents will not go up as a result of these changes.
Through their Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP), says Tanya Hutchens, the CMHC also offers ways to help people who want to convert space in existing dwellings to create secondary suites or garden suites for low-income seniors.
For more information about HASI, RRAP or other CMHC programs, call 1-800 668-2642. For more than 60 years, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been Canada’s national housing agency and a source of objective, reliable housing expertise. This CMHC report was reviewed by Tanya Hutchens.
Tags: Adaptations, assistance, Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, CMHC, Corporation, HASI, Home, Housing, knob, loan, Mortgage, occupant, program, Seniors
Posted by admin on Apr 26, 2009 in
CMHC,
Uncategorized Lets think, says Tanya Hutchens, you’ve weighed your options, and now you want to buy a home. Purchasing a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. So before you make an offer, make sure you’re ready to take on all the financial and emotional responsibilities that come with owning a home of your own. To help you make an informed decision, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) suggests you ask yourself the following questions before you begin your search for the perfect home:
- Are you financially ready to buy a house?
- How much will your home actually cost?
- What kind of mortgage is right for you?
For more information on buying a home call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642. For more than 60 years, notes Tanya Hutchens, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been Canada’s national housing agency and a source of objective, reliable housing expertise. This CMHC report was reviewed by Tanya Hutchens.
Tags: Canada, CMHC, Corporation, Homeownership, Housing, Mortgage, Ontario, Purchasing, Tanya Hutchens
Posted by admin on Apr 24, 2009 in
CMHC OTTAWA, April 8, 2009 — The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts increased to 154,700 units in March from 136,100 units in February, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). And this is very positive news, notes Tanya Hutchens.
“Higher multiple starts in Ontario and Quebec were the main contributors to the rise in new construction activity in March,” said Bob Dugan, Chief Economist at CMHC’s Market Analysis Centre. “While the multiples segment experienced the largest increase, the overall boost in starts was broad based, encompassing the singles segment as well.”
The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased 17 per cent to 127,900 units in March. Urban multiple starts increased 28.3 per cent to 81,500 units, while urban single starts moved up by 1.3 per cent to 46,400 units in March.
March’s seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased by 35 per cent in Ontario and by 23.3 per cent in Quebec. Urban starts declined by 17.3 per cent in British Columbia, by 7.9 per cent in Atlantic Canada, and by 7.5 per cent in the Prairies.
Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 26,800 units in March.
Tanya Hutchens notes, new home construction is now at a more sustainable level after having been exceptionally strong over the past 7 years, exceeding 200,000 units per year.
As Canada’s national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 60 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable, and affordable homes — homes that will continue to create vibrant and healthy communities and cities across the country. This CMHC report was reviewed by Tanya Hutchens. For more information, call 1-800-668-2642.
Tags: Atlantic Canada, British Columbia, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Good News, Housing Starts, Ontario, Prairies, Quebec, Rural, Urban
