Sets of keys were handed over to five local families today who now have a place to officially call home.
Construction of the five three-bedroom townhouse units — located at 541 Essa Rd., in south-end Barrie at Mapleton Avenue — began with a groundbreaking in 2020 and was one of the organization’s most arduous local projects, said Habitat for Humanity Huronia’s chief executive officer, Robert Cikoja.
“This is probably the longest project that I have ever done construction-wise," he said on Tuesday. "There have been a lot of hiccups: a worldwide pandemic, supply-chain shortages, labour shortages, rising costs, and bureaucracy.
"It’s been a long road to get to this point and it’s amazing because I know what this means for the five families that are getting into their new homes,” Cikoja added. “It’s a new journey into financial stability and that stability always has a snowball effect on health, mental health, education, and well-being all together.
"This is a journey that is going to change five families' lives today.”
Families are required to put in 500 hours of volunteer time, whether it be on the build, in the ReStore or in the organization's administration offices. They are provided with a zero per cent mortgage and a zero down payment. They are assessed yearly for employment, Cikoja explained, adding mortgages are geared towards 25 per cent of the homeowners income.
“It’s really a program that gets them into home ownership and hopefully graduating to traditional home ownership. Pride of ownership with our families is through the roof,” Cikoja added.
After a few formalities, including speeches by Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall, Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin and the involved families, Habitat staff officially handed over the keys to the new homeowners, who excitedly unlocked their front doors for the first time.
Angie Sumner, Stephen Hughes and their 13-year-old daughter Madison Sumner-Hughes were thrilled to tour their new home together and are looking forward to the new beginnings that are still to come for them.
“It was a really long haul, but to see all the work that was involved was absolutely incredible," Angie said. "It was awesome for us because (Stephen) is a contractor, so he primed all the units. To watch all of the bits and pieces come in and then finally him being able to paint our home was just amazing.
“We have all had our issues in life, and to be able to finally have some home ownership, it’s definitely a hand up, not a hand out," she added. "A lot of people’s misconceptions are that it’s all free homes. We have to pay for it and do our bit, and to be able to help build it?! That was incredible.”
Madison, who will be starting high school in the fall, has already come up with a few different ideas for how she’d like to decorate her new bedroom.
“I am excited to buy a bunch of cute stuff off of Amazon. I am thinking of those cute pink, princess pilates bedrooms," she said. "The cute, feminine decor, but kind of coquette, Lana Del Ray vinyl but also clean and simplistic."
The teen also hopes to take advantage of her father’s painting skills when the time comes.
The official move-in date for the new homeowners has yet to be confirmed.
Since 1995, Habitat for Humanity Huronia has helped 50 families achieve their dream of home ownership.
