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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Habitat for Humanity NWT is doubling down on its promise to build a home for one low-income family in 2012, announced president David Hurley on Monday.

Dave Hurley, president of Habitat for Humanity NWT, and Family Services Committee chair Sandra Turner announced Monday that Habitat NWT would soon be embarking on its first build – a duplex they expect to house two families by the end of 2012. - Galit Rodan/NNSL photo

Habitat had initially announced plans for one three-bedroom home to be completed this year but Hurley said the Moyle Drive lots in the Niven Lake subdivision were big enough for two duplexes, one of which he expects to be in move-in condition by December 2012.

It will be Habitat NWT's first build. Each duplex will eventually provide each family with 1,500 square feet of living space. Habitat for Humanity has chapters around the world with a primary goal of eliminating "poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action," according to the parent group's website.

Hurley was excited about the location the city had allotted.

"The good thing about these two areas are you can see the park right here that's already completed; there's another one that the city will be completing this year and the important thing right here is the new trails that the city will complete," he said, pointing to a map of the subdivision. "So it's in a family-type area."

Hurley and Family Services Committee chair Sandra Turner emphasized that the organization was providing affordable, not social, housing.

"It is very different from social housing. This is affordable housing so Habitat's model is this is a hand-up not a hand-out," said Turner.

The chosen families pay low monthly mortgage payments - to a maximum of 30 per cent of their gross income - and are not required to provide a down payment. The organization then uses the mortgage payments to help finance building more homes.

"The more homes that exist, the more cash flow there is available for further building," explains Habitat for Humanity NWT's website. "This 'revolving fund for humanity' fuels exponential growth in the number of houses that are built over time."

According to the website, families who wish to apply for a Habitat home must meet national low income standards for their family size and location; must have a stable enough income to cover mortgage payments and other expenses like utilities; and must be willing to partner with Habitat by contributing 500 hours of "sweat equity" - essentially volunteer work - toward building their home and/or other homes, for example.

Taylor added that qualifying families must also have lived in the NWT "for a couple years."

Habitat NWT is hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in its new office on the ground floor of Yk Centre mall. Interested families can apply online.

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