Habitat for Humanity Niagara is continuing to build homes in the community, providing solutions to affordable housing across the region. Next year, Habitat Niagara will be building a detached home in Port Colborne on a vacant lot that was donated by the City of Port Colborne and is looking for a new future Habitat homeowner. 

As Habitat Niagara moves forward with an ambitious goal to build 30 homes over the next five years, they are always looking for more local families that are unable to obtain a traditional mortgage. 

Families may qualify for Habitat’s homeownership program if they are living in unsafe, unhealthy or overcrowded housing, unaffordable rent or inaccessible housing for people living with disabilities. Eligible families must be within the household income threshold (the combined income of all income earners) of $36,000 to $76,500, and must demonstrate responsible debt management, adequate funds for closing costs and no current bankruptcies. 

Habitat homebuyers must be willing to partner with Habitat Niagara and complete 500 volunteer hours, which include building their home or homes of others in the program, volunteering at one of the ReStores and attending workshops on personal finance, home maintenance and other homeownership topics. 

Habitat homeowners purchase their home for fair market value and mortgage payments are made affordable at 30 percent of the gross household income (income is evaluated on a yearly basis). 

Anyone is encouraged to apply who may be looking to get into homeownership, with the minimum family size of two persons. Interested families can apply for Habitat Niagara’s homeownership program by completing a preliminary application which can be found on www.habitatniagara.ca

About Habitat for Humanity Niagara 

Habitat for Humanity Niagara brings our community together to help families build strength, stability and independence through safe and affordable homeownership. Habitat Niagara builds safe, decent and affordable homes, providing affordable mortgages to qualifying families who would otherwise not be able to purchase their own homes. Habitat is not a giveaway program in that we provide “a 

hand up not a handout.” This year, Habitat Niagara celebrates its 30th anniversary and has constructed 73rd homes in Niagara, serving 79 families, creating stable and secure housing for more than 272 children. 

Habitat for Humanity Niagara also operates a home improvement retail store – the ReStore – selling donated new and used appliances, furniture, kitchens, building materials and home supplies. Habitat for Humanity ReStores play an integral part in Habitat’s mission, providing financial support for our work. The Niagara ReStores are located at 2499 Hwy 20, Fonthill, 185 South Service Road, Grimsby, and 150 Bunting Road, St. Catharines. 

For more information, please visit www.habitatniagara.ca