Regional council approves funding for affordable housing developments

Waterloo regional council has approved several grants to help develop two affordable and supportive housing projects for women and youth.

The municipal grants were approved to help offset some cost of development charges for affordable housing providers.

YW Kitchener-Waterloo is set to receive a grant of $650,383 for a 41-unit development and oneROOF Youth Services was approved for a $713,835 grant for a 45-unit development.

"Currently we have about 80 women on [a] wait list. So, one project will take half of those chronically homeless women and get them into their own housing, not just shelter, not just tiny homes, but their own units," said Elizabeth Clarke, CEO of YW Kitchener-Waterloo and also a regional councillor.

Clarke said the modular project means it will be constructed off-site and assembled on-site to help save time, as well as include environmentally friendly features.

Construction is set to begin next month and be and ready to welcome tenants in December 2021. It will be located on Block Line Road near Homer Watson.

Clarke said the units will be geared-to-income, "so they'll be 30 per cent of the women's income and there will be the supportive piece on top of that so staff on site providing different kinds of supports."

Clarke said the organization will be applying for more funding through a relief program by the City of Kitchener.

Housing masterplan

Council also approved new updates in the Waterloo Regional Housing (WRH) master plan.

A report to council said development is underway to expand two existing affordable housing projects. There are 70 units planned for 416 Kingscourt Drive in Waterloo and 48 units for 82 Wilson Avenue in Kitchener.

Staff have begun work on the Kingscourt development by circulating newsletters to existing tenants about the project.

The plan outlines a goal to create more than 600 new WRH units over 10 years.