Bruce County is hoping to find suitable land for a future community housing project to address the growing need for deeply affordable housing across the region.
Tina Metcalfe, Director of Human Services and CEO of Bruce County Housing Corporation, said the Bruce County Housing Corporation has launched a Request for Information process to explore potential site opportunities.
“Low-income indicators demonstrate a need for more deeply affordable housing across all geographic regions in Bruce County, with slight prominence in the Inland Region,” Metcalfesaid. “Bruce County Housing Corporation looks forward to hearing from local municipalities, non-profit organizations, and other community landowners on the availability of properties within the inland region of Bruce County that could support the needs of our next housing development.”
She pointed out many residents are waiting for a place to live that they can afford.
"In terms of demand for deeply affordable housing, the Community Housing wait list currently includes over 1,000 applicants," she revealed. "The applicant type has remained steady, with 40 per cent of the applicants looking for a one bedroom unit in an adult building. Thirty per cent of applicants are seniors and the other 30 per cent are families."
Metcalfe added ensuring everyone has an affordable place to live benefits the entire population.
"Affordable housing is integral to ensuring Bruce County is a welcoming, thriving community," she stressed. "Affordable housing not only supports the well being of current and future generations, it is an economic necessity."
She outlined just what affordable housing means locally.
"It is broadly accepted that housing is affordable when a household is not spending more than 30 per cent of its income on housing costs," Metcalfe continued. "In general, affordable housing ownership for households in the low and moderate income thresholds would be home ownership under $377,000 and rent below $1,383 a month."
She added that the land acquisition and build priorities must include leveraging surplus land or a willingness to explore below market transfer of ownership for land to make an affordable housing project viable. Development ready site opportunities including servicing and zoning considerations would also be ideal.
Metcalfe also stated that the success of the 35-unit Penetangore Place Community Housing development in Kincardine has prompted the county to look at a future inland region build of a similar design.
Further background information, site selection criteria, and an RFI submission form can be found on the Bruce County Website at: www.brucecounty.on.ca/buildinbruce