Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the City of Vernon donated the land. The land was, in fact, purchased from a private individual through fundraising efforts. The story has been updated and Global Okanagan regrets the error.
Christmas came early for three families in the north Okanagan, who were handed the keys to their new homes on Saturday.
Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit housing organization, made their dreams of home ownership become a reality just in time for the holidays.
Ivan and Natalie Scowen are busy parents raising three young children in Vernon.
Being a single-income household, the prospective first time-buyers had difficulty saving for a down-payment.
“That was our biggest struggle was being able to save that up when there is so many other things you have to pay for,” Natalie Scowen said.
“Adequate living is just hard to find. A couple rentals before, a lot of mice was in the house, and just not nice conditions,” Ivan Scowen added.
- What is a halal mortgage? How interest-free home financing works in Canada
- Ontario doctors offer solutions to help address shortage of family physicians
- Capital gains changes are ‘really fair,’ Freeland says, as doctors cry foul
- Budget 2024 failed to spark ‘political reboot’ for Liberals, polling suggests
The non-profit housing organization selected the Scowens, along with two other families, to become the new owners of a triplex in the 2400 block of 35th Avenue.
The families purchased the homes with no down payment and interest-free mortgages.
The land was purchased from a private individual through fundraising efforts by a Habitat for Humanity Okanagan committee called “lend a hand to buy the land.”
Kim Flick, Director of Community Infrastructure and Development, said the City of Vernon expedited the development application and the organization received a grant on development cost charges.
On Saturday, volunteers, community sponsors and the new owners gathered to officially receive the keys to their new homes.
Habitat for Humanity’s Okanagan chairperson Stacey Fenwick said the model empowers families to invest in home ownership.
Fenwick said there is high demand for the program in the Okanagan– with 30 families already living in Habitat homes.
“It’s really badly needed, especially in the Okanagan,” she said. “Our average home price is close to $700,000.”
For the Scowens it was an early Christmas present to finally have a place to call home.
Comments