North-Algona-Wilberforce, a Township in Renfrew County with a population under 3,000, will be the first in the Ottawa Valley to try a new home sharing service.
The Affordable Housing Alliance of the Ottawa Valley says the Township will be working with Toronto-based company Sparrow Share which has developed a home sharing platform to match up people who have spare rooms in their homes they want to share with people who need homes.
The Township’s Special Projects Officer and steering committee member for the Affordable Housing Alliance of the Ottawa Valley, Cameron Montgomery, says this can be a real benefit to older people with homes to share and tight budgets as well as for people young or old who need homes.
How the Home Sharing Program Works
The program works by getting homeowners and people seeking homes to register online, or with help from township staff if they have any difficulty using computers.
Once participants are registered, Sparrow Share works to match up homeowners and people seeking homes. Sparrow Share also conducts a screening process and provides the legal agreement that clarifies and outlines the terms of the living arrangement for all parties.
The CEO of Sparrow Share, Oren Singer, says homeowners benefit from extra income, companionship, and potential help with household chores. Singer says housemates (renters) benefit from high-quality, budget-friendly, and flexible housing options.
Ottawa Valley Affordable Housing Innovation Project
The Township of Madawaska Valley has launched an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, which had an initial meeting on January 11th. Committees are also getting started in the City of Pembroke and in the Townships of Killaloe-Hagarty-Richards and Bonnechere Valley.
North-Algona-Wilberforce has also put out a call for residents interested in building accessory dwellings on their property, with the possibility for up to $30,000 compensation per room through CMHC funding if they sign a contract to provide rental at an affordable rate for a set period of time, and
Ish Theilheimer, the organizer of the Affordable Housing Alliance of the Ottawa Valley, is encouraging as many municipalities as possible together in a joint application to CMHC to fund organizational development and new construction through its Affordable Housing Innovation Project. To get involved or learn more, email: AffordableHousingAllianceOV@gmail.com.