The Town of Cobourg has announced an agreement of purchase and sale to donate a parcel of municipally owned vacant land, located at 604 Daintry Crescent, to Habitat for Humanity Northumberland.
Last October, the non-profit affordable housing organization submitted a proposal to Cobourg council proposing the land be declared surplus so Habitat could build a single detached home on the 0.2-hectare property, stating they already had a list of approved families waiting for affordable housing.
In December, council directed staff to declare the Daintry Crescent land as surplus and, at council’s committee-of-the-whole meeting on August 15, approved a motion to proceed with agreement of purchase and sale of the property for a nominal fee of $2. At the August 22 regular council meeting, council approved a by-law to execute the agreement of purchase and sale.
Under Habitat for Humanity’s model, approved families get “a hand up, not a hand out” through interest-free mortgages with no down-payment and mortgage payments geared to gross income. Families approved for housing are also required to contribute a minimum number of “sweat equity” hours into either building their home or otherwise volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.
As part of the agreement of purchase and sale for 604 Daintry Crescent, Habitat for Humanity Northumberland will assume all survey, zoning, and development and other costs, and the town will have an opportunity to review the design of the new build. Habitat will also work with town planning staff to ensure the new build complements the character of the existing neighbourhood.
Habitat will also ensure the community and neighbouring residents are kept up to date with regular mail notifications, and will hold an on-site community meeting will be held at a later date to introduce the final design details to residents and address any questions about the construction schedule.
A formal ground-breaking ceremony at 604 Daintry Crescent will take place at a later date.
