Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to announce today to the Legislative Assembly and to the people of the N.W.T., that the new home ownership programs will be offered by the N.W.T. Housing Corporation in 1993-94.
These new home ownership programs have been developed in response to public concerns about the Home ownership Assistance Program, or H.A.P. Although over 1,500 families have become home owners through H.A.P. since it was first introduced in the early 1980s, H.A.P. catered to a specific segment of the population. During the last few years qualified applicants became harder to find, as most people who were interested in the program and could qualify for it had already been served.
In addition, concerns were expressed about the eligibility criteria for H.A.P. which required clients to contribute sweat equity. Many people interested in home ownership are unable to help build their own homes due to a lack of skills. Others are employed full-time and cannot take time off to build their house. Still others, at both ends of the income scale for H.A.P., did not qualify because they earned too little or too much.
These concerns are long-standing. In its 1985 report to this House, the Legislative Assembly's Special Committee on Housing made several recommendations on the corporation's home ownership programs. I am pleased to inform the Members that these recommendations are now being addressed in the new programs I am announcing today.
The Special Committee on Housing was concerned that people in the communities were not aware of all the options available to them under the corporation's home ownership programs. The application process was complicated and clients sometimes did not understand the full implications of what they were getting into. The new home ownership programs are based on an expanded and improved information and counselling service which will be available to any community resident interested in finding out whether home ownership might be the right choice for his or her family. This one stop shopping approach will assess each potential client's needs and current situation. Full information on all options within the client's income are then reviewed. A wide range of information will be provided, including financial planning, mortgages, acquiring land, planning for construction and maintaining and operating a home.
I want to emphasize the personal nature of this approach, because it symbolizes what we are trying to accomplish through the new programs. The way in which these programs are delivered to the people is very important. People who have never owned their own home will be given the opportunity to get counselling on what is involved in assuming the responsibilities and independence of home ownership. There should be no surprises for the client once he or she enters a specific program. Clients need to succeed at home ownership, and that means spending more time up front with some clients than we have spent in the past.
The information and counselling service is also important because the new home ownership programs will require clients to pay back some of the assistance they receive, in accordance with their income, over a fifteen year period.
The new programs all come under the umbrella of access to home ownership, a name that emphasizes the wider range of programs that will be available to the public.