AN ILLUSORY HOUSING SOLUTION

Habitat for Humanity has been back to Council seeking a donation of "surplus" land for a site. A Notice of Motion has been filed.

Habitat is an American organization. It serves a dual purpose. As well as helping a family get into the housing market, it also helps to regenerate urban neighbourhoods. There is a desperate need of renewal in many American towns and cities.

I have not travelled much in the States. I have watched vdeos of Habitat's activities. They show the grim reality of run-down neighbourhoods. Abandoned properties with ownership transferred to municipalities for unpaid taxes. From a municipal perspective, Habitat represents a Heaven-sent though meagre solution to assessment sink-holes.

No municipality in York Region shares that problem. Certainly not Aurora. Properties with perfectly well-maintained homes are being sold for $350,000 and up. The houses are immediately demolished to make way for million dollar mansions with assessments three times the previous value. That's a plus from the municipal perspective.

When Habitat asks the town to donate "surplus" land to build a house for a "deserving" family, they are seeking a donation to the value of $300,000 thousand, a conservative figure for a housing lot in Aurora.

The Town has no properties which have come into public ownership because of non-payment of taxes. There are no run-down neighbourhoods in need of a boost from Habitat for Humanity.

Seniors are forced to sell their homes because of high taxes. Young families live in town-houses, with barely a footprint on the ground, and both parents working to pay the mortgage and taxes. Children are in institutional care ten hours a day so parents can provide shelter for their families.

Old neighbourhoods with houses leaning or sinking a few years ago have now become the elite. Fifty year old subdivision track houses are regarded as "Heritage" by some owners.

Habitat tells us they are highly selective when they choose a family worthy of entering the housing market through their enterprise. Of twenty-five families who apply, twenty four are ineligible because they may not "fit" into Aurora neighbourhoods.

Meantime, York Region Housing has a "waiting list" of fifteen thousand which has not altered in seven years. A family selected by Habitat as lucky winner of a house built by "sweat equity" will make no dent in the desperate housing need in our community. People are living in fire-trap basements and attics and paying twelve out of a twenty thousand dollar income for shelter. No level of government is doing anything about their situation. No poorly housed family in our community will benefit from the Habitat concept.

Private charitable donations are admirable. Charitable donations of taxpayers money have no legitimacy.

Councils are elected to provide the best level of municipal service at the most efficient cost. We are not elected to decide for people which charity they will be compelled to support.

There is nothing noble about putting your hand in someone else's pocket for a a donation to a cause they may or may not support.

One per cent of our tax rate is $230,000. The gift of a residential detached building lot represents between one and two per cent added to the tax bill.

A building lot is a liquid asset of considerable value. Same as cash.