A new affordable housing development in Westphal, Nova Scotia is making the dreams of eight families come true.
Akoma Holdings Inc., a registered Canadian charity, developed Fairfax Homes through funding under the Rapid Housing Initiative.
The initiative seeks to bring affordable housing to vulnerable populations, with a specific criterion of individuals of African descent with precarious living situations.
“It’s really an opportunity to provide people with not just adequate housing, but good housing,” said Sunday Miller, the property consultant for Akoma Holdings Inc.
“It’s going to give people hope,” she added. “They’re going to start dreaming about their future.”
The funding was provided through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and was a trilateral contribution agreement which sees funding from all three levels of government.
The new neighborhood consists of four, two-bedroom duplexes, with rent prices ranging from $650 to $1,000 a month.
“It was for people who had a certain income,” said Miller. “It’s even possible that some of the people who move in do not have the $650, but then that’s where we have to work with other to say, ‘how can we get them some income assistance or some kind of support?'”
The tenant selection process was established through recommendations from local shelters and organizations including Souls Harbour, Adsum Women & Children, and the Preston Area Housing Fund.
“They gave us the applications,” said Miller. “We all sat around the table, we went through them and said, ‘okay which ones are meeting our criteria?'”
Miller says they had about 20 to 30 applications but were only able to take eight to accommodate the spaces available.
A dream come true
Michelle Simmons is the owner of one of the Fairfax homes.
She says its been a long process to get to this point, but after seeing her home for the first time, she feels like she’s won the lottery.
“Words can’t even express how this feels,” said Simmons. “It’s absolutely amazing to be in this new home. It’s just such a wonderful opportunity and I’m overjoyed.”
Like many Nova Scotians, Simmons has found it increasingly difficult to obtain an affordable place to live, even as a support worker.
But she says this new initiative has given herself and her daughter “a sense of independence.”
“This opportunity has taken so much weight off of me,” said Simmons. “Now, we can have our own home and not have to worry about having a room with my daughter. She now gets her own room with her own space.”
Simmons says she has family in North Preston who she knows will be a great support system, in addition to her newfound community members.
“I’m looking forward to meeting everyone in this community,” she said. “I know we have a lot in common. We can just build together…and be a connected family.”
Meaningful additions
The names of the new roads, and the name of the neighborhood itself, have significant meanings.
Fairfax Homes was named after Reverand Fairfax.
There will be a street named Dr. Donald Skeir Way, after Dr. Donald Douglas Skeir, the second Black president of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children.
Another street name will be Paris Lane, after sisters Mary and Cherry, who both served Matrons of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children.
“Those are people who had a major impact in the Black community,” said Miller.
She says she hopes tenants will be able to move in within the next few weeks, and can only imagine what it would be like for these families to be able to get settled in time for Christmas.
“It’s like a lifeline,” says Miller. “It’s like a door has been opened and now they’re able to walk through into a new life.”
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