Tipi Moza

Rotarian Birgit Wartenberg introduced Linda Cory who is on the Board of Directors of Tipi Moza and Martha Beach, the Executive Director of the organization.  The Rotary Club of Belleville made a donation to Tipi Moza to purchase backpacks for children who live in subsidized housing in Kingston.

 

Tipi Moza (Iron Homes) is an urban aboriginal housing provider developed under the CMHC Urban Native Housing Program (post 1985).  It was founded in 1989 by members of the Aboriginal community in response to the need for subsidized housing for Aboriginal families.  The organization received sufficient funding from CMHC to purchase 17 homes (two, three and four bedrooms) which are rented to Aboriginal households at rents based on income.  The organization provides affordable, culturally appropriate, non-for-profit housing and related support services for Aboriginal peoples, with new and rehabilitated housing developed over time.  Since 1989, Tipi Moza has operated on a not-for-profit basis which means that rental income plus the subsidy is designed to cover the cost of normal operating expenses.

 

In 2012, Tipi Moza conducted an Aboriginal Housing Needs Survey which identified the need for bachelor and one bedroom affordable apartments.  In 2013, using this information, they applied to Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) for funding to purchase 6 units.  Funding was approved and in 2013/2014, Tipi Moza purchased two bachelor, three one bedroom and one three bedroom units.  They are rented to Aboriginal persons at affordable rents.

 

The former RCMP office located on Johnson Street in Kingston was purchased by Tipi Moza in 20014 under the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative and they converted the offices to three accessible affordable units for Aboriginal families.  The property is .344 acres which suggests there is sufficient land for expansion of the existing building.  Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services will have funding available in 2017 for the purchase or development of affordable housing units and Tipi Moza secured professional services to determine the possibility and financial viability of constructing additional units and are ready to move forward next year.

 

Since its inception in 1989, Tipi Moza has been an active member of the Kingston Aboriginal Community Information Network.  They have advocated for partnership with Habitat for Humanity to build a home specifically for an Aboriginal family.  Tipi Moza is a member of Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association, attends their conferences and strives to implement the sector's best practices. They are one corporation with rent geared-to-income housing and affordable housing, governed by a seven member volunteer Board of Directors with four members of the Board being of Aboriginal descent and one with an in-depth knowledge of the needs of the urban Aboriginal community.  The staff consists of an Executive Director and a Coordinator of Community Outreach.  As well as administering all of the day to day duties related to managing and maintaining a housing organization and portfolio, they provide cultural, employment and education support.  Staff also perform regular maintenance inspections of every unit.

 

Linda and Martha were thanked by Rotarian Paige Summers, who is a member of the Indigenous Peoples Partnership Committee that was involved in the backpack program along with Director Birgit.