Habitat for Humanity Cornwall & The Counties is launching a new program to help keep low income homeowners in their pre-existing, affordable homes safely and for longer. By 2025, the Critical Repair Program will be an integral part of our affordable housing portfolio.
By definition, a critical repair is something essential for a resident to maintain a legal, safe, habitable home. This could be a roof repair, a new furnace, an accessibility ramp or most things in between.
Basic living costs are constantly rising, which only becomes harder for vulnerable populations with fixed and low incomes. Add in the necessity of a potentially unexpected repair, and a person’s living situation can become untenable, almost instantly.
Enhancing our affordable housing portfolio is key to serving a wider variety of community members’ shelter needs including seniors, families and other vulnerable populations. This expands our capacity to help homeowners safely stay in their own home and preserve much needed housing stock.
Responding to community needs, we will offer local families and individuals the opportunity to complete crucial home repairs or accessibility modifications. This will improve living conditions and secure pre-existing affordable housing. This can be life changing by providing stability, safety and peace of mind.

The total of any single project is not intended to exceed $12,000.
Support from 100 Women Who Care Cornwall will support at least 1 Cornwall critical repair project. Since budgets will vary from project to project, based on participant’s needs, individual budgets cannot be provided at this time.

How will completion of this project directly benefit the residents of Cornwall and Area?: It can help resolve health and safety deficiencies in affordable ways and help the owners remain in their homes with pride and dignity.
This expands our capacity to help homeowners safely stay in their own home and preserve housing stock that might otherwise deteriorate beyond repair. This program, using existing equity, will offer a no-interest loan to help homeowners living with low income, on pensions, other fixed incomes, etc, and who are struggling to maintain their homes. The completed critical repairs will not cause undue financial hardship to participants.
Local, low-income residents will be the main beneficiaries, including families, seniors, individuals, etc. Community benefit goes beyond the individual. As recipients becomes more resilient (financially, psychologically, socially, etc), previously used social resources may no longer be necessary, making those resources available for others.
As we prepare to launch this program, our goal is to complete 12 projects in 2025 (an average of 1 per month). Budgets will vary from project to project, based on user needs.

Estimated Cost: $12,000

Date of Completion: November 1, 2025

What do you wish everyone knew: Habitat homes are not given away! Partner Families purchase their new, safe, affordable homes at fair market value, paying back an interest free, geared to income mortgage.
Habitat Cornwall is the builder, and the bank!
Similarly, these critical repair projects are a hand up, not a hand-out. Participants will pay back an interest free loan for the value of the repair.
Habitat Cornwall has been building affordable, local homes for over 25 years. Critical Repairs is the next, natural step for serving our community as the trusted contractor of choice.
The Critical Repairs program will become a self-sustaining entity. As participants pay back the interest free loans, offered by Habitat for the completed repair, those funds will be used to support future affordable housing.