An update to council about housing efforts in Saugeen Shores highlights a rent subsidy the town has for low-income people, an affordable development by the 10th concession and how federal funding is being used to create homes.
The latest housing initiatives update says the Town is increasing its Municipal Housing Allowance Subsidy from $150,000 to $200,000. The subsidy helps low-income households with rent by providing $590 a month to those who are eligible. It started out at $75,000 a couple of years ago.
The housing update also lays out the next steps for an affordable housing development on the 10th Concession near Vanderwerf’s Independent Grocer. Earlier this year, council approved an memorandum of understanding with Wilson Developments and Habitat for Humanity to build townhouses on Town land. Next steps include rezoning the land, investigating servicing options for it and declaring the land surplus in order to sell it so it can be developed.
Other highlights are the federal Housing Accelerator funding projects the Town is working on.
It’s using the federal grant money to create a Community Planning Permit System to streamline the permitting process. Staff say a consultant has been chosen and project background review work is underway.
They have also used the grant money, along with a grant from Bruce Power to create standard, pre-approved designs for additional residential units including duplexes, fourplexes, above garage units and small additional homes. Staff say the next step will be to bring the designs to Council in June.
Meanwhile staff say advocacy work is ongoing to see if the Province will allow Saugeen Shores the authority to use inclusionary zoning. That could allow the Town to require developers to include some affordable or attainable units in their builds.
