Habitat for Humanity and the City of Kingston Celebrate the Opening of a New Tiny Home Project and Recognize Federal Affordable Housing Funding

Habitat for Humanity Kingston and the City of Kingston are proud to announce the completion of an innovative eight-unit tiny home project on MacCauley Street. This development provides deeply affordable rental housing with support services in place to help residents maintain stable, safe, and energy-efficient housing. Two of the units are designed to be fully accessible. 

The project was developed on land donated by the City, with capital funding contributions from the City of Kingston and the Government of Canada through the Rapid Housing Initiative. It fulfills a key objective of Kingston’s 2019-2022 Strategic Plan and the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing.  

“On behalf of Council, I congratulate Habitat for Humanity for their innovative approach to addressing housing needs and for working with community partners to ensure these homes serve individuals who would otherwise face homelessness or be at risk of losing housing,” said Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson.  

Habitat for Humanity Kingston Limestone Region, a not-for-profit organization, brings together volunteers, community donors, corporate sponsors, and revenue from the Habitat ReStore to create affordable housing for local residents. 

“We are grateful for the support of the community, our corporate partners, and the City of Kingston in bringing this project to life,” said Gary Lees, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Kingston Limestone Region. “While our traditional focus has been on homeownership for households that would not be able to afford to own a home without assistance, this project allows us to meet a different need—offering rental housing to those who are most vulnerable in our community.” 

Each tiny home is a fully self-contained unit with its own washroom, kitchen, and living and sleeping areas. Thoughtfully designed for both comfort and functionality, the units also provided a unique educational opportunity: they were built by students from Ernestown Secondary School through the Limestone District School Board’s Building Construction Internship Program (BCIP). 

“The BCIP students worked hard every day, learning valuable skills while contributing to a project that will have a lasting impact on our community,” added Lees. “Their dedication was key to making this project a reality.” 

At the event, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recognized not only the success of this project but also two other Kingston housing initiatives funded by the federal government’s Rapid Housing Initiative. 

One of these projects, a four-plex on City-owned land with an accessible unit on the ground floor, will be overseen by Tipi Moza, Kingston’s sole Indigenous housing provider. It will offer housing to individuals who identify as Indigenous and are in significant housing need.  

The City will also be providing ongoing municipal operating funding to support both operations and to ensure the continued provision of services for these three projects. 

The second project involves the renovation of a City-acquired commercial property to create an 18-bedroom congregate living facility. This residence will be managed by Addiction & Mental Health Services – Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, providing affordable housing for residents who are participating in the stabilization program.  

Both of these additional projects are expected to welcome their first residents later this year, with celebrations planned to mark their openings.