On Thursday, Housing Minister Ahmed Hussein announced that the federal government has teamed up with local levels of government to fund 74 new affordable houses in Kitchener and Cambridge.
The price tag for the homes will be $7.1 million with the feds and $3.5 million coming from Waterloo Region. The projects are both expected to be built by the end of the year.
“With today’s announcement, we’re once again stepping up to help those who need it most,” Hussein said. “Through the Rapid Housing Initiative, we will quickly provide up to 74 new affordable homes for vulnerable families and individuals in the Waterloo Region.”
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Two local charity groups will manage the projects, with the KW Urban Native Wigwam Project managing one in Cambridge, which will house only Indigenous people.
There will be 30 units located on Cambridge Street, with 16 being allocated to Indigenous women and their children.
Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry said the homes will be built on a site that was originally slated for luxury condos.
“Every single person deserves a secure and safe home. These units are more than a roof over someone’s head, they offer a place for many to heal, grow and learn,” McGarry stated.
The second project, which will be on Sheldon Avenue in Kitchener, will be managed by OneROOF.
There will be 25 units for homeless people, 15 others for those with mental health or addiction issues while the last four will go to Indigenous people.
“The City of Kitchener is committed to housing as a human right, and to doing our part by working with all orders of government and community partners to deliver on that,” Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said.
“We know that only by working together can we get closer to our goal of ending homelessness and supporting, regardless of age, the most vulnerable residents amongst us.”
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