URCA Corporation has been providing Geared-to-Income housing for 30 years. We currently have 8 senior units (one complex 8 units) and 8 family units (2 triplex and 1 duplex). We are governed by ONPHA and Lennox-Addington County.
The units are in dire need of some costly upgrades after 30 years. We have made some upgrades by changing all the furnaces from oil to propane. The 8 seniors units were changed 4 years ago and the 8 family units were completed April 2024. All of the units need new windows, some need exterior doors as well, I say some because we have already replaced some. All of the units need roofs, soffits and eaves.
The seniors units have been upgraded as tenants move out, three in the last 18 months. One of the units was a complete renovation with new everything including kitchen cupboards and bathroom shower stall. The other two units were painted, repaired and new flooring. We are receiving more and more calls from tenants for maintenance as things are wearing out now.
We have had a lot of challenges with tenants in the family units. There has been two units completely destroyed and the cost of this has drained our reserves. This means we will not be able to do the major repairs and upgrades needed. The duplex unit has masonry falling off the one corner from water damage from needing new eaves.
The UV water systems in each building need replacing and we are doing two of them right now as they are not working at all and this cost is $1700.00 each. We are finding out during the renovations that our electrical is no longer in code so we have to change ALL the fixtures as we go, this was an expense that was unexpected and with the 30 year old buildings these are the things we are facing.
On top of it all there have been a lot of break-ins in this area so we would like to put in a surveillance system for safety purposes.
We are doing our best to provide safe, clean, respectable housing and with the two family units costing over $100K to repair and renovate, with the rising costs of supplies and labour it’s getting ahead or has gotten ahead of us. There has been just too many large expenses needed all at the same time and with nonprofit the cash flowing in is not as quick as the cash flowing out.
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HERE to see pictures for reference.
We thank you and our tenants thank you for your consideration.
Karen McBride
Chairperson
URCA Housing Corporation
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