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”

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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

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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)

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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.

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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

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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

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Thank you

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