The relentless upward trend in housing costs in Windsor and Essex County has eased a bit, according to new figures looking back at 2024.

Average monthly rents fell three per cent last year, with new home construction costs declining slightly for the second consecutive year and the average sales price in the resale home market having remained in the $570,000s since last May.

A consultant’s report heading soon to city council suggests Windsor development charges could increase by more than 150 per cent — sparking strong backlash from the development community.

Local builders warn the proposed fee hikes would stifle home building in the city and take home ownership — increasingly unaffordable for many — even further out of reach.

Two families given keys to their homes by Habitat for Humanity in Windsor’s west end Saturday had similar messages — the houses are much more than homes, they’re about “hope and stability.” 

The presidents of the Windsor Essex Home Builders’ Association (WEHBA) and the Windsor Essex County Association of Realtors (WECAR) welcome the federal Conservatives’ proposal to eliminate the GST on new home construction, but caution it shouldn’t come at the expense of existing programs.

The Chair of the Windsor Essex Home Builders' Association believes new changes announced by the provincial government when it comes to planning are a step in the right direction.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. reports there has been 535 more new home starts through the first seven months of this year compared to the same period in 2023 in the Windsor census metropolitan area (CMA).

There were 693 housing starts in Windsor in the first half of 2024, according to data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

While both Ontario and Canada recorded significant declines in new home starts in June, the Windsor area enjoyed a surge in new home construction, according to the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corp.

Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex (HFHWE) hosted a community Family Fun Event, complete with a Makers’ Market, live music, games, prizes, a staff and volunteer Olympiad to celebrate 30 years on Saturday.

We're very excited to kickoff the 2024 Windsor-Essex Home Builder's Association Parade of Homes!

Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex (HFHWE) has announced more homes will be built in Sandwich Town through a partnership with BK Cornerstone Design Build.

Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex was presented with a cheque from BK Cornerstone for the purpose of continuing building efforts in Sandwich Towne.

Local developers are calling the multibillion-dollar affordable housing measures in the 2024 federal budget “a good start” but say much work remains before any real impact is felt.

“Higher density is 100 per cent the solution,” Klundert said. “As supply of land is restrained, the demand for available land needs to have higher density on it. The municipalities want that, but the existing infrastructure isn’t always there to handle that higher density.”

"What is the meaning of home?” asks 10-year-old Nina, with her six-year old brother, Gio, and mom, Adriana, by her side. “For our family home means making new memories that will last a lifetime.”

The rapid rise in interest rates that smothered demand for newly built homes also put the brakes on escalating home construction prices last year in the Windsor area.

Windsor is "well within its rights" to refuse to make zoning changes that could make the city eligible for millions in federal housing cash, but experts and advocates say the move could affect the city meeting housing targets and increasing affordability.

Re-zoning applications for new housing are flowing into Windsor City Hall at a record pace, but housing starts are falling way behind targets to provide more housing supply, according to data from the City of Windsor.

BK Cornerstone has built 24 units in the Hive. They're hoping the next project will have over a hundred. They are also in talks with investors to create another project with 300 units creating more urban density.