Multifaith Housing Initiative

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Multifaith Housing Initiative (MHI) is a charity based in Ottawa that works to provide affordable housing and to promote harmony among tenants from different faiths. It brings together faith communities and others to support housing, and acts as a local model of interfaith cooperation to fight homelessness. MHI’s work aims to provide secure, affordable housing because it helps people and the community with better health, education, social inclusion, and economic opportunities.

Leadership and structure: Suzanne Le has been Executive Director since 2013. The organization includes a Board, an executive committee, eight working committees, the tenants, and more than 100 volunteers. Member faith communities pay for membership and have voting rights; religious patrons and donors support the organization from outside.

History and growth: The idea for MHI began in 2000 to help local congregations develop land for affordable housing. It re-incorporated in 2004, shifting from supporting faith groups to owning and developing land with help from faith communities. In 2005 it received its first interest-free loan and bought a five-unit building. By 2014 MHI owned three properties: 10 units at Somerset Gardens and 27 units at Blake House. That year it won the 2014 Action Ottawa Affordable Housing RFP, which led to the Haven in Barrhaven. MHI also received the CMHC Housing Award in 2008 and funding from the Canada–Ontario Affordable Housing Program, the Ontario government, the City of Ottawa, and the federal Investment in Affordable Housing Program. Today MHI owns and operates 179 rental units at five locations: 26 at Blake House, 10 at Somerset Gardens, 5 at Kent House, 98 at the Haven, and 40 at Veterans’ House (the Andy Carswell Building) for veterans who were formerly homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The Haven in Barrhaven is a 98-unit family-oriented project for mixed-income rental, with townhouses and low-rise buildings. Construction began in October 2015 and was expected to be completed in spring 2017, aiming to house about 300 people. Donors include $200,000 from the Ottawa branch of King’s Daughters and Sons and $200,000 from an anonymous donor through the Community Foundation. By October 2016, the 75 member churches had raised over $500,000.

Veterans’ House uses a Housing First model, the first of its kind for MHI, to help veterans find stable housing and access support for health, mental health, or addiction issues. It provides 40 single units at the former Rockcliffe Airbase site. Design work began in 2014 and it opened in early 2021. Partners include True Patriot Love, Ottawa Salus, Soldiers Helping Soldiers, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services, Centretown Affordable Housing Development Corporation, the Royal Canadian Legion, and Support Our Troops.

Community events: Since 2007 MHI has held an annual Tulipathon walkathon in May, from Dow’s Lake to Bank Street, with a family-friendly celebration at Commissioners Park. A banner competition between congregations is part of the event, and the Mayor has served as judge in previous years. National Housing Day is held each November with an interfaith celebration and a reception to raise awareness and funds for ongoing housing projects.