A local family will soon be living in a new Midland home thanks to Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North.
The agency announced it has selected Madison Desjardins-Quesnelle, Richard Passa and their baby Paisley as the new residents of 808A Birchwood Drive, one of two semi-detached, affordable, energy-efficient and universally accessible builds completed in 2022.
“I grew up very poor,” says Passa, a first-time Dad. “My mom mostly lived in small apartment buildings, and I never really had my own stable home.”
The couple called a basement apartment home for the last two years. For 18 months of the two years, they said they dealt with black mould.
“We tried to work with the landlord to have it removed,” Passa said. “He told us it was our problem and we’d have to handle it ourselves. We did everything we could, but it kept coming back.
“When we found out Maddie was expecting, we knew we had to move or risk bringing a new baby into unsafe conditions.”
Last September, Shannon Sutton and her son Aiden, along with her spouse John Steel moved in to the other side of the semi-detached home.
Kimberley Woodcock, the agency’s CEO, said that there are currently more than 4,400 people in Simcoe County on an affordable housing waitlist.
“Affordable homeownership creates a new cycle of possibilities and progress and the benefits reach far beyond the Habitat homeowner,” Woodcock said in a release.
“Our latest research shows that through reduced reliance on social housing and food banks, better education and employment outcomes and improved health, every Habitat home built helps create more than $200,000 worth of benefits for the local community.”
With significant funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the financial support and gift-in-kind contributions from donors, and committed volunteers and staff, the dream of homeownership has come true for Desjardins-Quesnelle and Passa.
“We can’t thank you enough,” Passa said. “We’ll never forget this. This is the beginning for us. It means not worrying about where we’ll be in the next two or three years.
“I can support Maddie and our baby and feel confident about putting a roof over their heads. It’s a new start for our family.”
Since 2002, the region’s Habitat chapter has served 59 families, including about 124 children. The completion of the next energy-efficient, semi-detached affordable homes is scheduled for occupancy in Bala by June.
“Our homes are offered equitably and are suitable to a diverse population: young families; seniors; mobility challenged; singles and couples,” Woodcock added. “Everyone deserves a safe and decent place to call home.”
Added Passa: "We’ll have a backyard where Paisley can play. We can put in a nice little garden where we can grow vegetables. We’d spend the next forty years here. We’re going to enjoy making this a home."
