The President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada says the current need for housing across the country is something the organization hasn't seen before.
Julia Deans is in Windsor for habitat's national conference and annual general meeting.
She says the single biggest issue that most habitats are facing is 'land.'
Deans says it's really hard to get land, it's expensive and municipalities often donate it but often they won't.
She says land is needed in order to build homes that communities need.
Deans says Windsor is a superb location to share habitat's message.
"You have housing issues here but you also have one of our most effective habitat organizations that's so involved in the community, building homes, building gardens," says Deans. "So it's a great place to come and celebrate that success and all of the work we do."
She says as everybody knows it's hard to get housing built.
"It's expensive but the need is great," says Deans. "So we're coming at it in different ways. We're building multi-unit, we're doing critical repairs, we're finding new ways to serve our communities and get housing built faster."
Deans says habitat's work is hard but it has never been more urgently needed.
"We focus on working families who desperately need a secure and safe place to live and we're hearing from those from coast, to coast, to coast, to coast," says Deans.
The national conference kicked off Wednesday morning at Caesars Windsor.
200 people from 45 Habitats for Humanity branches from across the country are taking part in the event.
Organizers say the conference is a chance for delegates to gather and share their knowledge, experience, and resources in tackling Canada’s housing crisis one family at a time.
The conference wraps up on Friday.