Abbeyfield Kingston Newsletter
Spring, 2009

John Purkis, President's Message

There is no doubt that we have succeeded in making the community more aware of the affordable housing model offered by Abbeyfield. More enquiries have been received and we have worked on the design for several possible sites. Financing and community approval have been the main stumbling blocks that must be overcome.

During the past year, we were disappointed in the delay with the Rodden Park site. Your Board, however, wishes to make certain that such a site can be financed with 'Resident Funded Financing' that would require ownership of a heritage building. We are currently exploring other possible alternatives.

We were also disappointed that the Anglican Diocese of Ontario is seeking a maximum price for the St. John's Rectory on Mowat Avenue. This is well beyond our means to establish an 'affordable' house for seniors of modest incomes. Also, our examination of the premises indicated that major improvements would be required in a heritage setting with uncertain limits. Consequently, your Board withdrew their interest in this site.

On the positive side, our attendance at the World International Abbeyfield Conference in Toronto provided encouragement from other delegates representing Abbeyfield houses worldwide. The Canadian model with Resident Funding was well received as the delegates visited Durham, Ontario, the first such life leased residence in at least one-half their rooms.

Presently, your Board feels that difficulties will always occur in looking at existing buildings and especially heritage structures. Consequently, the acquisition of vacant land may provide our best alternative. This will require cash and our treasurer has obtained permission from Canada Customs & Revenue Agency to retain excess income in a 'Building Fund.' I personally believe that the incoming Board should undertake a campaign to enhance this Trust Fund so that we may be in a position to act quickly when the opportunity arises.

Thanks to the effort of one of our Board members, we now have an Abbeyfield Kingston website that is 'linked' to the Abbeyfield National website emanating from Toronto.

Now you can all keep up to date on our activities by going to our new website at: www.abbeyfieldkingston.org

John Purkis

THE TENTH ABBEYFIELD INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL CONFERENCE

By Lily Inglis

In October 2008, John and Shirley Purkis, Stan Sherry and I were greatly encouraged in all things Abbeyfield by attending the conference, held somewhere in the world every two or three years, and this year it was held in Toronto with 85 delegates representing 18 countries.

The opening reception at the Radisson Waterfront Hotel proved immediately that Abbeyfielders are a friendly lot as representatives from various countries could be seen talking together animatedly as if they had known each other for years, as of course, some actually had.

Abbeyfield International (AI) Chairman Allan Snowie thanked the Canadian hosts and introduced delegate groups and guests. Bill Statten, President of Abbeyfield Canada, welcomed everyone to Toronto. Dr. Rory Fisher, Professor Emeritus from the University of Alberta, Department of Medicine, gave a keynote speech on "Aging Well." A great deal of useful information came from individual presentations made by delegates from different countries, as well as by the many opportunities to talk to people on an informal basis.

Other Highlights of The Conference were:

• A paper by Foster Murphy, Vice Chair of AI on "Global Volunteering." Since the affordability of Abbeyfield depends a great deal on volunteers, the training and development of the volunteer base is of utmost importance to the Abbeyfield movement.
• A talk by David Cravit, Vice President of Zoomermedia, author of "The New Old" on the essentials that lie ahead as baby boomers turn into the Zoomer Generation.
• Dick Stanton, founder and resident of Abbeyfield Durham gave a presentation on his model of "Residential Funding" for new Abbeyfield houses by residents who wish to invest in the actual building.
• A native Canadian Smudge Ceremony was presided over by First Nation Elder Joanne Dallaire (Shadow Hawk woman of the Wolf Clan).
• A fine dinner at Toronto's very elegant Massey College gave delegates a chance to hear speaker Peter de Jeger on "Managing Change."

Coach trips took delegates to two Abbeyfield houses in Durham and the Toronto Lakeside house where delegates were very warmly received and shown around.

A short video was also shown on "The Life of Founder Richard Carr Gomm" founder of Abbeyfield who was unable to attend due to illness and has regrettably died since the conference was held. His fascinating biography is available from Abbeyfield Canada and some have been ordered by Abbeyfield Kingston.

The conference ended with a farewell event with buffet, a Scots piper and the Sweet Adeline Singers.

--Lily Inglis

'Seniors Living' Symposium, June 5 & 6, St. Lawrence College The Seniors Association Kingston Region is holding its annual 'Seniors Living' symposium and Abbeyfield Kingston is participating. We have been asked to present the International Abbeyfield video - a 15 minute review of Abbeyfield houses around the world and a story of its success. Please visit us on Friday, June 5, at 1 pm, seminar room. Members of your Board will be present to answer questions. We hope other members will attend. Hope to see you all there!

RESIDENT FUNDED FINANCING

By Betty McIver

From a physical perspective, establishing an Abbeyfield House involves major construction or extensive renovations to an existing structure. And as we all know such types of venture require significant funding resources. The usual means of obtaining these funds include fundraising and/or establishing a mortgage or some combination of both.

Another option is to designate some of the residents' units as 'Resident Funded Units,' sometimes referred to as 'Life Leasing.' Resident funded financing is a mechanism to raise capital to support the construction/renovation while providing the Abbeyfield House resident. with a financial investment, which is not available to those paying rent.

The cost of the Resident Funded Unit is determined by a formula reflecting the construction costs for a particular site and the housing market in which the house is located. It is a legal transaction with rights and responsibilities clearly outlined in the agreement.

If we use the example of a newly established house with a Resident Funded unit value of $50,000, the individual who is interested in living in the unit and having a lease-type arrangement would enter into a legal transaction with a signed document that would include the following:

• The individual would buy the unit for $50,000 payable to the Abbeyfield Houses Society.
• There would be an agreed interest on the money that would be provided to the individual on an agreed schedule and process and some residents would use some or all of such funds to defray the rental cost of the unit.

Should the resident leave the Abbeyfield House, the Resident Funded unit would be sold at market price to another person who wishes a similar arrangement, thus the possibility of financial gain to the original owner.

There are many advantages to this arrangement. For more information please contact one of the Board members of the Abbeyfield Houses Society of Kingston.

--Betty McIver