Flinton’s URCA Housing – Past, Present and Future

Nov 18, 2019

On May 28, 2019 URCA Housing Corp marked the 25th anniversary of the first tenants moving into our 16 not for profit housing units. Eight families and six senior tenants moved into our row housing units. Four weeks later the last two seniors’ units were occupied. Members of the community had watched the construction of these homes over the previous year. Some community members may even have remembered the knock on their door from a volunteer six or seven years earlier. These volunteers blanketed the community conducting a survey to help establish a need for non-profit housing in Flinton and to receive individual opinions about the proposed housing units.

Although move in day was in the spring of 1994, it was in the winter of 1987 that the project began. A core group of community volunteers worked diligently to plan the project for Flinton. The planning was based on the perceived need, the survey results and the varied opinions of the community members. The harder job for them was in bringing the project to fruition. Meeting after meeting to arrange and attend; paperwork to end all paperwork to complete; steps forward and setbacks over the period from 1987 to 1994 finally resulted in the completion of the dream for an affordable living alternative for seniors and families in Flinton and area.

Step forward to 2019. One of the original volunteers and a couple who have been involved for upwards of 15 years make up the Board of Directors which is responsible for the administration, staffing and planning for organization. Funding for URCA comes from the Prince Edward Lennox Addington Social Services division of the County and from rent charged to the tenants. Some of the Board volunteers are now looking forward to a well-deserved retirement from their positons with URCA. As a result URCA Housing is actively involved in trying to recruit new Board members so that the organization can continue on as a community based not for profit housing provider. Without a community based board the administration and planning will fall to the County office in Napanee.

On November 20 at 7:00 pm URCA Housing will be hosting a Community meeting to celebrate our anniversary and our 25 years of accomplishments in Flinton. The meeting will be held at Through The Roof Church. There will also be a discussion around the future of URCA Housing. The most significant topic of discussion will be the recruitment of Board members to pick up the reins of the organization to carry us forward.

All interested Community members are welcome. Come out and be part of URCA’s next 25 years. Refreshments will be provided.