Victoria Real Estate Board joins Habitat for Humanity Victoria to help fund the future of affordable homeownership
To find out more about how you can help Habitat Fund the Future of affordable home ownership click here
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In celebration of 100 years of service to the community in 2021, the Victoria Real Estate Board (VREB) has committed $100,000 to help fund the future of affordable homeownership in Victoria! Partnering with Habitat for Humanity Victoria, this landmark donation is one of the largest in Habitat’s history. Of the total contribution, $30,000 helped to build the Community Play Space at Bakerview Place in North Saanich (a 10-unit townhome complex completed in late August), and the remaining $70,000 will form the foundation of a new fund for a future Habitat build project.
“I am delighted to welcome The Victoria Real Estate Board (VREB) as the Founding Partner of our new Build the Future fund. This new fund has been created to kick-off Habitat’s fundraising for its next affordable housing project in the region,” said Yolanda Meijer, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Victoria. “Having this level of support from the community at the outset is amazing.” The Victoria Real Estate Board works in association with approximately 1,500 REALTORS® across Greater Victoria. These members are keenly aware of just how quickly the market in Victoria has been moving, making housing affordability a critical issue for many in our region. “As an organization embedded in the housing market, we know well the challenges of finding a home in our area. The value of providing these affordable housing opportunities cannot be understated,” commented Karen Dinnie-Smyth, president-elect of VREB. “These homes provide a foundation for families to be able to experience a better quality of life in an integrated community with employment opportunities and amenities. That’s why we feel supporting Habitat for Humanity is so important and we hope to see many more of this sort of project in our communities to add to the spectrum of housing.” According to the latest information from The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index the benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core increased by 25.1 per cent in September when compared to the same month in 2020. Similar rises are being seen across the region. These price increases combined with record low numbers of property listings can make securing a home even more difficult for working families. To create more opportunities Habitat is seeking new partnerships with developers and municipalities to provide affordable homeownership solutions that are integrated into regular market housing. “Our last three build projects have been made possible with the help of local developers; The Berglund Family, Walking Stick Developments and Polo Village Developments,” said Yolanda. “These organizations have been key in securing the land we need to build and in turn Habitat has provided the affordable housing component needed to move these projects forward.” In the coming year Habitat will be providing a further four families with an affordable home as they complete the Bakerview Community and buy back a home from a Habitat homeowner who is ready to move up in to the regular housing market. You can help Habitat continue to Fund the Future of affordable homeownership by joining VREB and its members in support of local families in need of a safe and decent place to live. To find out more about how you can get involved go to www.habitatvictoria.com/buildthefuture |
