57 local vulnerable and low-income families are at risk of homelessness and housing insecurity at the hands of Habitat for Humanity Edmonton's (HfHE) recent funding changes.  These families were promised a zero-interest mortgage if they completed 500 hours of "sweat equity" - unpaid work in lieu of a downpayment - as well as a 12-month trial tenancy where coursework and workshops were done on home ownership.  All of the 57 families successfully completed these requirements as put forth by Habitat For Humanity Edmonton's contract.

However, when it came time for the families to sign the mortgage, HfHE reneged on the previous agreement and created a new requirement that families must be approved for 50% of the mortgage from a third-party credit union.  Unfortunately, most of these families will not be approved for such a mortgage due to insufficient income, and as such, are facing eviction by Habitat for Humanity Edmonton.  

Most of these families are from racialized communities and many have family members with high medical and behavioural needs that require regular full-time care or come from backgrounds of domestic violence or have fled danger or persecution.  Habitat for Humanity International itself has raised concern over the handling of this matter and calls for an independent mediation process and to halt all actions against the families until this is completed fairly and equitably.  Unfortunately, HfHE has persisted with its course of action, forcing eviction on these families by July 31st in the midst of a global pandemic and economic downturn.

We the undersigned, ask the City of Edmonton to cease in the provision of any further land grants or financial supports to Habitat for Humanity Edmonton so long as it continues to unethically and recklessly pressure these families into leaving their homes, homes to which they helped to build, and in which they completed their requirements of the contract for ownership.  We believe that the City of Edmonton should strive to support its marginalized citizens to have safe, stable and affordable housing, and that charities such as Habitat for Humanity Edmonton that are provided free land and financial supports from the City of Edmonton, should be held to high ethical standards that prevent them from exploiting such vulnerable citizens of our city.  We trust that this action will help support these families and allow them to remain in their homes and community that they have built and have been promised.