Frontenac Renovates More Than Kingston

Jeff Green | Nov 27, 2013

Kingston-Frontenac Renovates is a provincially funded program that provides grants and forgivable loans to low-income homeowners who require upgrades to ensure the long term viability of their homes. The program replaced the long-running Rural Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP), a federally funded program that ran until 2009.

Kingston-Frontenac Renovates has a loan limit of $10,000 and a means test, with a family income ceiling of $32,000 per year for a family of two, $45,000 a year for a family of three to four, and $61,500 per year for a family of five.

“Of all the programs that we run in both the city and the county, this is one of the few that has had a higher uptake in the county,” Sheldon Laidman told a meeting of Frontenac County Council on November 20. Laidman is the Director of Housing for the City of Kingston.

The program has a $200,000 annual budget, and in its first year (2011), 80% of that money was spent in Frontenac County. In 2013, 75% of the $200,000 has gone to Frontenac County residents.

Typical projects that have received funding are roofing, wells, septic systems, foundation repair/stabilization, furnace replacement, oil tank replacement, windows & doors, accessibility assists (grab bars, etc.), accessibility ramps and electrical panel repair.

“This information fits in with the perspective that homelessness and housing looks different in the county than it does in the city. Rural people need new roofs and septic systems and if they can't get the work done they can end up being forced to leave their communities,” said Councilor John McDougall, who has been the council lead on homelessness and housing initiatives.

Laidman pointed out that Kingston-Frontenac Renovates has guaranteed provincial funding available until early in 2015. He also informed council that a portion of monies that the county pays in to a fund to help lower income residents cover some of their bills has not been used, leaving a surplus of $87,000.

“The city also has a surplus and that money is being re-directed to two programs that are part of our homelessness initiative,” said Laidman, “but in the county's case it might be an idea to put the money aside with a view towards keeping the renovation program going should the provincial funding disappear."

A motion to authorize the City of Kingston, as the service manager for social service programs in Frontenac County, to explore the possibility with the County of Frontenac for surplus funds to be similarly reinvested into homelessness programs, Kingston-Frontenac Renovates, and poverty reduction initiatives, was put forward.

“I would also like to say investing in this is a good thing. I think we would be remiss by stepping away from this program,” said South Frontenac Mayor Gary Davison.

The motion was approved.

For information on Kingston-Frontenac Renovates, call 613-546-2695, ext. 4949 or go to the City of Kingston's website, www.cityofkingston.ca and follow the link to Residents - Community Services - Housing.