Habitat for Humanity GTA dedicates 13 homes at its largest build site to date on World Habitat Day

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TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2018 /CNW/ – Habitat for Humanity GTA donors and volunteers will hand over the keys to 13 new Habitat homeowners at their Pinery Trail build site in Scarborough. The Home Dedication Ceremony is taking place on World Habitat Day – the United Nations designated day to recognize the basic right of all to adequate shelter.

The Pinery Trail Home Dedication Ceremony will mark an important moment in the charity’s history, as they celebrate homeownership at their largest build to date, a 50-home build project. People moving into these homes are working, lower-income families that have been living in need of safe, decent, and affordable housing.

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The Perez-Cota’s are one of the thirteen families moving into a new Habitat home at Pinery Trail. The family of six faced many challenges living in their old apartment. Due to the cost of rent in the city, their family was spending a majority of their income on housing costs. And after annual rent increases, and providing for their children, their housing situation started to become unsustainable. The affordability wasn’t the only issue causing their family stress. They experienced a number of cockroach infestations in their apartment which set them back, both emotionally and financially. “When our family received the news that we will be moving into a Habitat home at Pinery Trail, we were overwhelmed with joy,” said Osgaldo, the family’s father. “My children were so excited that they told all of their friends at school, and every weekend they asked us to go to the build site to see the home being built.”

“Pinery Trail is a very special build site to us because it is the largest in our history at Habitat for Humanity GTA,” said Ene Underwood, CEO. “When we are done a year from now, fifty families will call Pinery Trail their home. When you walk through the build site it rings with stories and the positive energy and generosity of the volunteers and communities coming together to give families a hand up.”

All the families have completed 500 volunteer hours of “sweat equity” as a down payment on their home, and will take on the responsibility of a zero-interest Habitat for Humanity GTA mortgage. The first two blocks of 30 homes are complete with majority of families moved in. Construction on the remaining 20 homes will be complete in spring 2019. 

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity GTA’s Pinery Trail Build visit: https://habitatgta.ca/builds/pinery-trail/, and to learn more about World Habitat Day: https://unhabitat.org/world-habitat-day/

About Habitat for Humanity GTA

Habitat for Humanity GTA is a nonprofit housing organization that believes everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live. We mobilize communities to help working, lower-income families build strength, stability, and self-reliance through affordable homeownership. With the help of volunteers, donors, and community partners; we have built more than 360 homes for families in the GTA including over 1,300 children in need of safe, decent, and affordable housing.