Kemptville tiny homes give low-income seniors stable affordable housing

Shalom Small Homes' first four 600-square-foot units in Kemptville already gave low-income seniors a steadier place to live, and the nonprofit, founded four years ago, is fundraising for 16 more units while aiming to build four more homes in 2026. Kim Hayes had moved 28 times over nearly two decades before landing in one of the homes, which makes the project a story about housing security as much as tiny-house design.

The units are single-storey, one-bedroom homes built for seniors over 55 who are getting pushed out by market rents. Shalom Small Homes says about 30% of people over 55 in the community are struggling to meet rental costs, and the rent is set at roughly one-third of a tenant's income, with water and snow removal included. That is the kind of operating structure that matters for seniors on fixed incomes: the monthly bill stays tied to income, not to whatever the rental market decides next.

Getting there took more than good intentions. North Grenville made land available on a 40-year lease after the nonprofit partnered with Mayor Nancy Peckford, and volunteers plus local contractors helped build the homes. The lease cost $1 a year, a detail that shows how much public land access can change the math for a mission-driven project. Even so, the numbers climbed fast. The original estimate of $50,000 per unit rose to $125,000, which is a blunt reminder that tiny homes are not automatically cheap once you start paying for materials, labor and the realities of a finished dwelling.

The Kemptville project also sits inside a broader housing response. North Grenville's zoning bylaw allows up to two additional residential units on a property, and the municipality has already been pushing basement apartments, lofts above garages, additions and small detached structures such as tiny homes as ways to ease the housing shortage. In March 2026, North Grenville and the federal government announced more than $24 million for 60 affordable rental homes at Bell Hall on Kemptville Campus, including shared spaces and some deeply affordable units supported through rent-geared-to-income programs. Against that backdrop, Shalom Small Homes is a much smaller build, but it is aimed squarely at the seniors who need a smaller, safer place before instability turns into homelessness.

For Kim Hayes, the payoff is not novelty or minimalist style. After 28 moves in nearly two decades, a 600-square-foot home with income-based rent and basic services bundled in is what staying put finally looks like.