GUELPH – Lack of affordable housing is a growing issue in Guelph and Wellington according to a new report on housing and homelessness in the region.
On Nov. 29 Wellington County councillors discussed a five-year update to A Place To Call Home, a 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan for Guelph Wellington.
“Overall, the communities of Guelph-Wellington fare better than the provincial average on many indicators of housing affordability,” states the executive summary to the report.
“However, the lack of affordable housing (rental and ownership) is a growing issue in Guelph-Wellington, which is impacting not only low-income households, but also moderate-income earners and economic development opportunities.”
The report indicates that in 2017, seven out of 10 households could not afford the median resale house purchase price of $432,176, and half of renter households could not afford an apartment at the average market rent of $1,054.
The report estimates an annual income of over $46,000 would be needed to afford the average market rental rate.
“With increasing rental rates and housing prices, lagging household incomes, and rising levels of consumer debt, the number of households at risk of homelessness is expected to rise, and the demand for social housing will continue to go up,” the report states.
Social services committee chair David Anderson noted department staff have been meeting with individuals, agencies and developers that are interested in developing affordable housing in both the City of Guelph and Wellington County. An expression of interest that closed on Nov. 13 attracted six entries from Guelph and one from Wellington County.
A report from county director of housing Ryan Pettipiere indicates staff will begin working with respondents to support their projects.
“Staff support to the sector in this regard can take several forms including accessing the federal funding available, coordinating with other available and future funding and resources as well as generally partnering as a support to furthering the development of affordable housing overall in Guelph-Wellington,” the report says.
“We have a huge need for development of affordable housing, so it’s a way the county can work in partnership to try and get some of these projects done,” said Anderson.
Anderson noted the “central vision” of the housing and homelessness plan is that “everyone in Guelph-Wellington will be able to find and maintain an appropriate, safe and affordable place to call their home.”
Councillor George Bridge pointed out affordable housing was a reoccurring theme during the recent municipal election and “something that’s going to be a big issue going forward.”
Councillor Sean Watters said housing that is affordable for young people is particularly key in a fast-growing community like Centre Wellington.
“We have a lot of service industries and we don’t have places to put our youth and it’s becoming increasingly difficult, especially with real estate prices continuing to move up,” said Watters. “We definitely have to have a strategy … We really need to look at these things.”
Wellington North Mayor Andy Lennox said a wider discussion is needed.
“When we talk about affordable housing I think we have a definition problem. Are we talking about government-subsidized housing? Are we talking about different housing options that people can afford?
“I think there’s a huge range of things that are needed from an affordable housing perspective that don’t necessarily involve us getting involved in subsidizing it, but providing the circumstances that private enterprise can provide that housing,” said Lennox.
“I do think that it’s a major issue for us in Wellington County … What is affordable housing and what is our role in providing it?”
“Really you’re talking about affordable land,” said Erin Mayor Allan Alls. “To build a building is not all that expensive … In my community there is no place called affordable housing. The cheapest one is probably $600,000 … it’s all the development costs, the land cost that are making it unaffordable.”
Council accepted the social services committee’s recommendation that the 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan 5-Year Update be approved and submitted to the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
