The Winnipeg Real Estate Board-established Housing Opportunity Partnership has received $500,000 in funding to purchase and upgrade 14 homes in the Daniel McIntyre, St. Matthews and Centennial neighbourhoods.
“With these 14 units, HOP will have acquired over 60 homes in Winnipeg’s inner-city, of which 50 have been sold and the rest are under renovation for sale,” said Tom Yauk, the president of HOP, during a ceremony at 636 Alexander St., the site of one of the HOP homes under renovation.
The renovation and eventual sale of the 14 homes in the three neighbourhoods marks the first time that HOP has operated out of the city’s West End, where it had been concentrating its revitalization efforts since the 1990s.
The total 14-home project cost is estimated at $1.6 million, with over $1 million coming from the HOP program, which reinvests money earned from the sale of homes back into new projects.
HOP’s affordable homes are sold to low-to-modest income individuals and families.
Money for the acquisition and renovation of the homes was through the Winnipeg Housing and Homelessness Initiative, which is funded by the federal, provincial and city governments.
Yauk said the additional funding will enable HOP to continue its efforts to stabilize and revitalize inner-city neighbourhoods.
HOP, a non-profit group that has expanded beyond solely WREB membership to embrace community-inspired individuals, believes that homeownership inspires pride in neighbourhoods and helps to commence the revitalization process.
In addition to the 14 HOP homes, it was also announced that the North End Housing Project will receive $71,800, including $11,800 in land and demolition costs, to construct one affordable and energy-efficient home on a vacant lot in the Centennial neighbourhood.
The total cost of the project is expected to the $131,800.
Once completed to meet Manitoba Hydro R2000 standards for energy efficiency and air quality, the two-storey, three-bedroom home will be sold to a low-to-moderate income family.
“Both the Housing Opportunity Partnership and North End Housing Project are a large part of the success story that sums up our efforts through the Winnipeg Housing and Homelessness Initiative to create much-needed, affordable housing and to stabilize and revitalize neighbourhoods,” said Manitoba Housing and Family Services Minister Christine Melnick.
“These groups are tackling the monumental challenge of renovating or building quality homes for people with low incomes, in a cost-effective manner.”
“It’s exciting to see the progress being made in these neighbourhoods and to witness the commitment of both the Housing Opportunity Partnership and the North End Housing Project to inner-city revitalization,” said Winnipeg Deputy Mayor Mike Pagtakhan.
Total project costs are estimated at $1.8 million with the groups contributing the balance of the costs. WHHI funding of $572,000 for the two projects includes $410,000 cost-shared by the governments of Canada and Manitoba under the Canada-Manitoba Affordable Housing Initiative’s New Homeownership Supply Program, $150,000 from the provincial Neighbourhood Housing Assistance program and $11,800 for land and demolition costs through the City of Winnipeg’s Housing Initiative.
Since 2000, the WHHI partnership has committed close to $72 million that has or will contribute to the repair, rehabilitation or construction of over 2,900 units and 137 rooms or beds, as well as assist the homeless or those at risk of being homeless.
Located at 361 Hargrave St., the WHHI serves as a single-window office for community organizations to access information on government funded housing and homelessness programs. For more information, call 940-3070.