Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) Affordable Homeownership at Different Scales presented to Canadian Housing and Renewal Association’s Annual Congress Don Allen, President May 2, 2013 Ottawa
Feb 24, 2016
Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC)
Affordable Homeownership at Different Scales presented to Canadian Housing and Renewal Association’s Annual Congress
Don Allen, PresidentMay 2, 2013
Ottawa
Affordable Homeownership
• Recognized as an important part of housing continuum in Saskatchewan’s Housing Strategy– Consulted with hundreds of
organizations and individuals– One of the common themes:
“One size does not fit all”
2
Saskatchewan’s Home Ownership Approach
• Multiple programs each with different focus– Builders (e.g. HeadStart on a Home)– Owners (e.g. Secondary Suites for both
new construction and retrofit; Habitat for Humanity)
– Municipalities (e.g. Affordable Homeownership Program)
– All support new construction or conversion from non-residential to residential use
3
Affordable Homeownership Program (AHOP)
• One program but not a one size fits all program
• Municipalities design the program that works for them– Province limits its financial
contribution based upon cost matching
– Province targets to incomes below a certain amount (currently $66,500)
4
AHOP Examples of Different Municipal Designs• Discounted prices on municipally
owned land• One-time cash grants• Property tax abatements• Any of the above
• Provincial funding is a grant; no requirement to pay back.
5
AHOP Results• Have committed $3.8 million in
provincial funding for 800 units• 7 communities have applied for and
been approved for funding• Saskatoon is the largest participating
community, was first with a program and has been the most active– 145 units completed so far
6
7
Challenges with AHOP• Municipal capacity• Very helpful for municipalities already
moving in this direction• More challenging for those just
beginning on a new home owner program
• Some municipalities didn’t increase the benefit to the client
Conclusion• As part of 5 year housing plan,
including all homeownership programs since March 2011
• Have committed to 2,134 units as part of a 5 year plan– 586 are under construction– 458 have been completed of which
420 are occupied• Partnerships work, flexibility is key
8
Thank you
9