Dear Editor:
RE: Proposed apartment building will bring vibrancy, add to attainable housing supply: builder, Dec. 16.
I think it is time for the various levels of government to set a definition of “affordable housing” and “attainable housing” for developers to follow.
In an article on Dec. 16, Pierre Chauvin is quoted as saying that “we are proposing attainable housing” and that his project is “not a cash grab.” But the lowest cost apartments will be 300-square-foot bachelor’s renting for $1,250 with an additional $75 dollars a month if you want parking.
Using the 30% rule for rent budgeting, you would need to be making a gross salary of $41,600, in order to attain these tiny apartments without parking. There are a lot of people for whom this attainable housing would not be attainable. For example, someone on ODSP who is receiving about $900 per month. Or a young person on an entry level salary.
It is time for our various levels of government to ensure that developers offering attainable housing or affordable housing are actually doing so. It is also time to rethink the parking rules for downtown Fergus. Having only 21 parking spaces for 36 apartments and commercial use on the bottom floor, will increase the parking problems that already exist in downtown Fergus.
I would have been interested in stating these concerns at the virtual neighbourhood meeting that took place on Dec. 9, but I guess it was not very well advertised, since I did not see any notice about it.
Hopefully, the public will receive better notification of the township’s statutory public meeting.
Joanne Mitchell,
Fergus