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| Home At Last (HAL) Project(City of London Report)
“Home at Last” (HAL) is a partnership between the London Home Builders Association , the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® , Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the London Affordable Housing Foundation . Financial help was provided by the City of London . The mandate for this pilot project was to assist families who reside in London and Middlesex Housing Corporation (LMHC) housing achieve homeownership through the collective efforts and expertise of these community partners. HAL is modeled on a similar and, to date, very successful home ownership initiative called the Home Ownership Affordability Project (HOAP) in Hamilton, Ontario. Our pilot project was a complete success, and we and our community partners hope to do more such projects, with the expectation and goal being that HAL will be ongoing and sustainable. 
HAL’s objectives:1. To strengthen the community by assisting tenant families who reside in assisted housing realize the dream of owning their own home and in doing so, to free up an assisted housing unit for a household on the London and Middlesex Housing Corporation (LMHC) waiting list.2. To build strong public-private partnerships between organizations with complementary goals and interests. 3. To grow the pool of skilled labour in our community through education and hands on training in the trades to students/apprentices wishing to pursue a career in construction/renovation. 4. To use existing infrastructure to revitalize neighbourhoods through direct investment and through a commitment to improving the quality of life in our communities on the part of families and the Partners. 5. To educate homeowners in the responsibilities inherent in homeownership. HAL’s Guiding Principles:1. To the degree possible, reflect a broad-based representation of all partners.2. Support the affordable housing objectives identified by the City of London. 3. Provide a valuable community service. 4. Support and expand those initiatives that prove to be successful. 5. To grow the Partnership and/or similar models that result in the creation of affordable housing in our community. Why was the project needed?According to the London Homeless Coalition’s London Report Card released in May 2006, there were 7,975 social housing units in 2005. As of October 31, 2006, the wait list for assisted housing numbered 3,442. In other words, only about half of the households with an identified need for assisted housing are being accommodated by the system. Approximately 600 Londoners access emergency shelters monthly.
Conversely, London has a shortage of skilled tradespersons, which the London Economic Development Corporation has identified as a barrier to the region’s continued economic development and viability in the future. London also has an adequate supply of properties that would meet the criteria of being inexpensive enough that a low-income family could afford the mortgage on them, but be in bad enough shape that they are uninhabitable and/or uninsurable without significant renovation and rehabilitation.How was the project funded?• LSTAR is provided all administrative services, absorbed all administrative costs (including staff time, resources and the purchase of such items as accounting software), and was responsible for reporting to the City on the progress of the project• LHBA, as its contribution, is providing manpower and quality assurance – its Builders were in charge of and supervised every aspect of the renovations from the drawing board to completion. • A great many individuals and organizations come forward to donate both goods and services, and threw phenomenal amounts of effort and in-kind contributions. A list of these donors is found below. • The City of London stepped forward with a contribution of $10,000.00 to the project, for which we are very grateful. ConclusionHome At Last:• creates genuinely affordable home ownership – an objective that is consistent with the recommendations of the London City Council’s Affordable Housing Task Force as well as those of its Affordable Housing Strategy. • supports and fosters housing models/partnerships that are not solely dependent on municipal funding. Moreover it provides an excellent example of partnership between the Federal Government (CMHC), the municipal government and the private sector. • takes families off the waiting list for assisted housing at the same time as it provides homeownership to families previously residing in assisted housing. Households can move through the system more quickly and with better outcomes. • creates home ownership far faster and much less expensively than by new builds. • rejuvenates neighbourhoods by revitalizing existing housing stock. • is in line and in sync with SmartGrowth principles, e.g., infill, intensification, as promoted by the City’s Planning Department. • provides a training ground for much-needed skilled tradespersons (as the LEDC has identified the shortage of skilled tradespersons in the London CMA as a serious impediment to the City’s growth and future prosperity). The HAL Steering CommitteeCarmine Gargarella, Bridlewood Homes, 519-652-1455Lois Langdon, LHBA, 519-686-0343 Mike Carson, Royal LePage Triland, 519-672-9880 Betty Doré, LSTAR, 519-641-1400 Sister Joan Atkinson, LAHF, 519-432-3781 Ext. 202 Judith Binder, CMHC, 519-792-7794 Dennis Mortlock, Middlesex Applicance, 519-659-3000 DonorsAdvanced Environmental Corp.Alarmtech Systems for Life Artisan Interiors Inc. Battlefield Equipment Rentals Blinds by Design Bridlewood Homes Centennial Windows Mike Carson, Royal LePage Triland Central London Painters Rocky Cerminara City of London Copp’s Building Materials Ltd. County Heritage Forest Products Ltd. Covenant Construction Coyle & Greer Awards Canada Ltd. Delta Faucet Canada DMJ Contracting Emco Ford Keast LLP GAF Materials Corporation Gentek Building Products Great Northern Insulation Home Depot Home Hardware Building Supplies London East Jan Litwin Construction Jobi Construction Libro Financial Group Limited Edition Painting and Decorating Inc. London Home Basics London Home Inspection London Webmasters A. B. Lucas Secondary School Middlesex Appliance Limited Mansfield Plumbing Mirolin Industries Corp. Mustang Exteriors Inc. North Pole Trim & Supplies Ltd. Paton Bros. Plumbing Ltd. Pinpoint Publications Limited Pro Electric Inc. RBC Royal Bank Reliance Home Comfort Renew Building & Design Ltd. RenewAbility Energy Rheem Canada Richard Gillespie S.W.Atchison Plumbing & Heating Ltd. Showerline Sales Ltd. Sifton Properties Limited Siskinds LLP 3895 Strik, Baldinelli & Associates Ltd. The Carpet Department Top Notch Nursery & Landscaping Treeline Kitchens -- London Trim-Rite Wood Products Inc. Try Recycling Inc. Vince Bogdanski Real Estate Z Group For Further InformationFor further information about the project, please contact Kathryn Olde, LSTAR Director of Communications at 519-641-1400 or by e-mail (kathryn@lstar.ca).. This information is provided by the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®. The information herein is believed to be accurate and timely, but no warranty as such is expressed or implied. | |||||||||||||||
London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®, 342 Commissioners Rd.W., London, Ontario. N6J 1Y3 - Phone 519-641-1400 - Fax 519-641-4613
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