Mayor Diane Therrien says the City of Peterborough’s goal to build 2,000 new affordable housing units in two years is a tough task but it can be done.
Therrien made the announcement as part of her 10-Point Plan for a Rapid Response to Homelessness and Housing on Tuesday. It’s a plan to implement immediate relief, support and services to the homeless.
“We need to be bold and to be ambitious in order to get anything done,” she said. “There are planning processes that we need to abide by. But we are looking for ways to make sure it doesn’t take as long as it has historically to get stuff through to the front of the queue.”
WATCH: Peterborough mayor announces 10-point Rapid Response Plan to tackle homelessness and housing
The city is currently updating its official plan. Therrien says the new play will provide more flexibility with development.
Therrien noted that along with assisting people with low incomes, the new affordable units are also expected to help post-secondary students on a budget. She says Trent University and Fleming College in the city will help play a role.
“Enrolment there keeps expanding,” she said. “So there’s a key role for them to play as well in terms of providing adequate space for those incoming students. So we’re working with them. They have land.”
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Therrien says she has been in contact with some private sector developers that have land available to create the 2,000 units.
Among current projects include a complex for 34 affordable housing units at the corner of Bonaccord and Monaghan roads. The project — spearheaded by the Peterborough Housing Corporation (PHC) is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Eight of the units will be dedicated to the YWCA’s Homeward Bound program aimed at helping mother-led families out of poverty.
“The city has put some of what we call ‘innovation in affordable housing’ dollars — in partnership with the province — into those units we are building,” said Darlene Cook, CEO of the PHC. “And they will count as part of the 2,000 (units).
According to the PHC, for non-senior singles, the current waitlist for rent-geared-to-income housing (subsidized housing) in Peterborough is between nine to 12 years.
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