Renovation program launches

Patrick Moses Montour has a leaking roof.

He has for years now, even after having it replaced about eight years ago.

“Obviously it wasn’t put in right,” said Montour, who lives along Route 207. “They did a lousy job.”

He lives with his son and two grandchildren in the home. And soon, there will be a newborn under the roof too.

“I told them, we have to figure something out. If not, if this doesn’t go through, well then there’s going to be more work for me,” said his son, Patrick Walter Montour Jr.

Right now, his family can’t afford to pay to replace the roof, but they’re hopeful about their chances of being approved for financial support from the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK).

The pair were among some of the first Kahnawa’kehró:non that got the chance to fill out forms to apply for up to $40,000 in funding for major home renovations at an event hosted Tuesday at the Knights of Columbus. The new renovation program announced earlier this month is now officially open to applicants.

It’s geared toward homeowners that have at least one child under 26 living with them. Applicants must also have the land in their name and be listed on the Kanien’kehá:ka of Kahnawà:ke Registry (KKR).

Roughly 15 households will be able to benefit from the program, made possible thanks to funding provided earlier in the summer by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) under its child and family services fund. The $2 million in funding will also pay toward the construction of two 16-plexes in the community.

“It’s been the largest cash injection in the history of housing,” said Council chief Ryan Montour, who was at the Knights to answer questions from community members.

In prior years, Canada would usually only provide about $60,000 to support the MCK’s home renovation program, Montour said, an amount so low that oftentimes only one household would be able to benefit. This year, that envelope was roughly $65,500.

“We hear what the community wants, we run on campaigns that say we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that, but to implement it,” Montour said, is another thing. “This is a major plan of implementation that we came up with.”

Shyann White, a manager at the MCK’s Housing Unit, was there by the door to welcome community members in and guide them along the application process.

“This is to address all home renovation needs for people that don’t have access to this type of money,” she said.

The funding to support the renovation program will last for the next five years, she said.

Homes with mold, overcrowding, weak structures and severe deterioration, plumbing and electrical system issues will be prioritized under the new program. Multi-generational homes will also be eligible to apply, as long as there are grandchildren in the home under 26.

“We don’t want to have our children homeless,” White said.

Onkwata’karitáhtshera, which handles Jordan’s Principle requests, also had a table set up at the event. Minor home renovation projects, such as those geared toward accessibility needs like ramps, can be covered by the federal program, and it’s important community members know what kind of options are out there, White said.

Staff with the MCK’s housing unit were also there to share information about the other programs they run, like their home repair loan programs, which can go toward the construction of new homes or the renovation of existing ones.

Homeowners that want to apply for funding under the newest renovation program will have until February 1 to do so.

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