By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
In looking to implement a plan to address affordable housing, the County of Essex and City of Windsor are working to develop a regional strategy.
As part of the Regional Affordable Housing Strategy, a housing needs assessment and action plan will be created. “This will hopefully be the recipe to create various housing options for County residents,” Jeanie Diamond-Francis, Manager of Community Services for the County of Essex, said during the Essex-based open house last Thursday afternoon.
She noted the plan will address how to look at the housing continuum and different options to meet the needs of residents. That will include investigating different types of housing to accommodate different types of needs.
Diamond-Francis added transportation is also a piece of the puzzle.
For the County portion, that means ensuring not only that housing is available, but people can access their communities.“
Homelessness is growing in the County. In the County, homelessness looks different. Many couch surf or live with family. Some are not able to provide for their families because rent is too high,” Diamond-Francis added. “We need to have housing available to everyone who needs it.”
She added there are currently not a lot of housing options or inventory available for low or fixed income individuals or families. Part of the process is to garner public feedback and opinion.
Last week, four public open houses were held. The events in Leamington and Windsor were hosted in the evening, while the events in Essex and Tecumseh were held in the afternoon. A survey with a focus on “what you would like to see” the City and County do to address affordable housing challenges is open until 9am on Monday, October 28. This follows a resident strategy hosted in August and September that garnered over 1400 responses.
Five goals have been identified so far, as presented at last week’s open houses. They include the want for more rental housing; the government to provide more help for people who cannot afford to buy a home, including lower-priced homes of different types; a wider-variety of types and sizes of homes to rent or buy; the government to find more ways to help people experiencing homelessness; and more controls and regulations to ensure renters are protected from unfair evictions, unexpected and substantial increases, and neglectful landlords.
SHS Consulting is preparing this strategy, which will also, in part, ensure requirements are being met through the Housing Services Act, 2011and the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006.As part of the Regional Affordable Housing Strategy, an action plan will be created to highlight and guide priorities for the City of Windsor and the seven local municipalities in the County of Essex in meeting their specific social and affordable housing needs, information on the website for the project notes.
It will also work to develop housing solutions across the housing continuum.
“Both of our Councils recognize that there is a housing crisis, with too many people being priced out of the housing and rental market within the Windsor-Essex County Region,” a joint letter from the County and City explains.
“As part of the development of the strategy and plan, we will be honing in on how our Region can build housing quicker and in a more cost-effective manner than is currently the case.” Diamond-Francis noted a preliminary draft will be presented to County Council in December. She hopes the final draft will be presented to both Councils sometime within the first quarter of 2025 for consideration of adoption.
The County of Essex approved having this document created as part of the 2024 Budget process. Those interested in learning more can log onto www.citywindsor.ca/residents/housing/windsor-essex-regional-affordable-housing-strategy.
To take the “what you would like to see” survey, log onto www.surveymonkey.com/r/windsoressexhousingfeedback
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