ABOUT US
We are a non-profit, community based organization governed by a volunteer board. There are currently 155 members of Homestarts staff who live and work in the Ontario communities where we provide service.
We currently provide management, maintenance and redevelopment services to 80 housing co-ops and 2 non-profit housing providers totally approximately 6,000 homes.
Achievements
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In 2012/2013 Homestarts worked with Mondragon Co-operative Homes, Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada and Alterna Savings and Credit Union on a successful pilot project to refinance the Co-op’s mortgage. The refinancing included an additional loan to fund capital work through a new blended mortgage and financed by a local credit union rather than CMHC. This successful pilot project has become a template for other co-operatives with end of operating agreements and has been featured twice in CHF Canada’s National Newsbriefs (Spring 2012 and Spring 2013 editions).
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In 2009/2010 Homestarts secured for our clients $25 million in capital repair funding under the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Social Housing Renovation and Repair Program and the CMHC’s unilateral Co-op housing renovation program.
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In 2010 Homestarts secured for our clients over $2 million dollars in renewable energy (solar panel) grants from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
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In 2009 Homestarts secured for our clients over $1 million in energy retrofit grants from the City of Toronto’s Better Buildings Partnership
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At the 2008 CHF Canada Annual Meeting in Toronto, Paul Hastie, Homestarts Executive Director received Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporations’ Outstanding Contribution to Co-operative Housing award
Charitable Donations
Homestarts has contributed over $50,000 to the Co-operative Diversity Scholarship program and Rooftops Canada.
In 2017, Homestarts founded the Tom Morris Fund For Social Justice and made a commitment to donate $75,000.00 over three years.
Learn more about our charitable work and Community Involvement.