After purchasing a 16,000-square-foot property in 2023, Habitat for Humanity Victoria set out to build its most ambitious project yet: a 13-townhouse development named Ferguson Place.
Two years later, interim CEO Krista Bekkema says the $7-million project, planned for Gordon Head’s Feltham Road, is on track, with shovels expected to hit the ground in 2026.
Dedicated to providing affordable housing solutions through home ownership, Bekkema said this multi-unit project comes at a time when it's needed most.
Having historically served families with children or those living with a disability, Habitat Victoria is now looking to expand its original scope to help alleviate the strains of the ongoing housing crisis.
“We're doing a bit of a pilot to see what that impact might be for people starting out … and helping them get on that housing continuum,” she said. “We're seeing more young people who can't buy homes, and they're in the rental trap. So we're looking at options around that.”
Ferguson Place aims to provide six three-bedroom homes, three two-bedroom homes and four one-bedroom homes.
Despite this new vocation, Habitat would also consider older tenants once the application process for the units is opened.
Although 13 new homes may seem like a drop in the bucket for Greater Victoria's housing stock, Ferguson Place represents Habitat’s largest undertaking since its inception in 1990.
“We've built 34 homes in 35 years,” said Bekkema. “So this project would mean 37 per cent increase in the homes built to date.”
After first submitting the plan to Saanich council in June 2024 and resubmitting a revised version a few months later, Habitat is now finalizing its proposal, fine-tuning every detail.
“We didn't feel we had enough green space for families, so we've shifted the unit sizes to make the units a little bit smaller,” said Bekkema. “We're working closely with the district… as we go through that process.”
More than just supporting affordable home ownership in the region, Bekkema said the 13 units are expected to become a flourishing neighbourhood hub, benefiting the community on multiple levels.
“What we found from that is not only do we create financial stability for families, but we also see that health outcomes are better, both for physical and mental health,” said Bekkema. “We also see better education outcomes and better job opportunities.”
Additionally, Habitat Victoria found that homeownership generally contributes both economically and socially to the neighbourhood.
“One of the things we always say is, ‘It's not just home ownership and financial stability, it's actually community building and it helps prevent brain drain from the community,’” said Bekkema. “It supports families not having stress.”
Having already secured funding for half of the estimated $7-million project, the non-profit is now working hard to raise the remaining amount, welcoming contributions from the province, municipal governments, and everyday people willing to chip in for a good cause.
“We're always looking for people who want to contribute,” said Bekkema. “We're really excited about this [and] we just want to get shovels on the ground as soon as possible.”
To learn more about the project, to donate or to file an expression of interest, visit habitatvictoria.com/ferguson-place
