Base31 is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to design and construct a block of townhouses in its first village. The Base will lead exterior construction, while Habitat will build the interiors. The total number of townhouses to be included in the plan is yet to be determined.

Prices start at $399,000 to provide families with a realistic path to homeownership. There will be both rental and ownership options, with homes designed to support people at different stages in life. Homeowners will be selected through Habitat’s affordable homeownership program.

Both Base31 and Habitat for Humanity believe the partnership serves a crucial community need.

“The demand is clear, and we know there are many families who are paying above-market rent or living in unsuitable conditions who would love to pay less for a mortgage than they do on rent,” said Hazzem Koudsi, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Prince Edward Hastings. “I think those are the win-win factors for everybody. It is going to fill a need and it’s going to make lives better.” 

The initial homes, nestled within the first residential village planned for Base31, are only the beginning. The new partnership establishes a foundation for creating more affordable homeownership opportunities. “We’re hoping this is just the start of many more homes we can bring to fruition with them,” said Deco Homes’ Alexandra De Gasperis.

“The project reflects a commitment to creating more attainable pathways to homeownership, and ensuring a range of housing choices are integrated into the community,” she continued.

For residents, the project offers access to high-design, affordable housing suitable for families. “Nothing on the surface level will differentiate the Habitat homes from the rest of the development,” notes Ms. De Gasperis.

“It’s one community and we want to make sure you can’t tell the difference between a Habitat home, and their next-door neighbour, who may not be a Habitat home,” she said. “You have townhouses, beside a single, beside a duplex. That mix also looks more established, as though the neighbourhood has been here for a long time.”

Hilltop’s townhomes are designed to suggest detached houses. Differences in colour, elevation, and the depth of the front of the homes take the design away from run-of-the-mill, cookie cutter new builds. 

“You have your blues, your greens, and if you look at the elevation, you may have a front porch on the right side, whereas on the left home, you don’t have one,” says Ms. De Gasperis.

“We’ve done a lot of this intentionally. From a visual perspective, when you’re driving the street, it is a gorgeous streetscape.”

To create the design, Ms. De Gasperis and her team took a trip to Atlanta’s Serenbe, a landmark development in Georgia. She notes the United States has a high standard when it comes to developing.

“What we noticed is how the architecture really played with the street. When you look at these townhomes, at first glance, it doesn’t look like a block of townhouses,” Ms. De Gasperis said.

The Habitat townhomes are just one type of a wide variety of homes slated for Hilltop. The list includes bungalow townhomes intended for senior living, detached houses, duplexes, and a seven-storey rental apartment building. Designs for the Habitat units all include secondary suite options.

Through its community engagement exercises, the Base discovered families are not moving to PEC because of a critical lack of daycare. In response, they partnered with the Hub to provide a new daycare center. “We want to attract parents with young children. We have to supply what they want — or they won’t move here,” says Ms. De Gasperis.

“When you build a community like this over time, there is so much potential to help support social infrastructure. Having those kinds of families in the community is extremely important. We worked really hard with the local daycare provider to get a space on site.” The new center, which serves pre-school children, opened in March. 

The official groundbreaking for the Hilltop development is set for Friday 18 September. Servicing has already begun and the County is close to moving forward with the second phase. 

The first block of 200 homes will be finished over the next 2 to 3 years.

“Affordable homeownership offers families more than a place to live — it provides stability, security, and the chance to build equity for their future,” Mr. Koudsi notes. 

“By bringing together Habitat’s affordable homeownership program with Base31’s land and development expertise, this collaboration creates real opportunities for local families to stay rooted in the community they’re already part of — helping children grow up with the stability they need to thrive, and building better futures for generations to come.”