Construction is under way on the 15-unit affordable housing project in Perth that has been led by St. James the Apostle parish.
Shovels were literally in the ground and foundations were laid in September at the Halton Street site in the town.
David Kroetsch is chair of the St. James Outreach Committee and co-chair of the steering committee of the Community Housing Initiative Perth (CHIP). He is confident that, thanks to the experience and expertise of Carebridge Community Support and the Saumure Group contractor, the building will be welcoming tenants next year, probably in late summer.
More than 300 residents in Perth are waiting for a safe, affordable home. Across Lanark County, more than 600 people struggle to find housing within their means.
Kroetsch says the county, whose $2.5 million capital investment made the project possible, has provided an additional $700,000 in Ontario government Last Mile Funding.
Claire Smith, co-chair of fundraising, says the campaign to raise $300,000 is close to the $100,000 mark. The initial $10,000 came from St. James.
She is optimistic the goal will be achieved with increased support during the last quarter of the year, usually the best quarter for charitable donations. One of two prospective large donors has pledged but not yet delivered support.
Potential donors are savvy, she says, often asking how much goes to the cause. “In our case, it’s 100 per cent.”
The project originated when the St. James outreach committee decided to focus on affordable housing but realized the way forward would require broad-based community support.
St. James reached out to recruit prominent members of the community and contacted Carebridge, the Lanark County non-profit that operates 225 units across 35 properties.
“We were amateurs,” Kroetsch says. “We heard about Carebridge and contacted them. We could not have done it without them.” The CHIP team convinced Perth town council to transfer the land at 63 Halton St, to Carebridge as owner and operator.
Kroetsch says Carebridge has been instrumental in overcoming the objections of “only a few people” by going to their homes, discussing their concerns and providing accurate information. The site is 40 feet from the nearest private property and adjacent green space will not be encroached.
Donations: www.perthhousing.ca
