The future is uncertain for a proposed 95-unit supportive housing project in Chatham now that a $14-million federal funding application was not granted.
The Chatham Daily News received confirmation Friday the application through the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) program, run by Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC), had been turned down.
Chatham-Kent was partnering with Indwell Community Homes, a Christian-based charitable organization, to build 95 supportive housing units on the site of the former St. Agnes Catholic elementary school.
Polly Smith said in an email Friday it is “correct” the RHI funding application was not approved, but added she couldn’t comment further, because approval hasn’t been received by the funder to speak on it yet.
“CMHC didn’t see the opportunity in Chatham-Kent that the rest of us saw,” said Graham Cubitt, Indwell’s projects and development director. “We don’t know why they actually rejected the application from council.”
The “sad” news came came as a surprise, he said.
“It was a very solid application that was well-supported by the municipality,” Cubitt added.
“We don’t believe there was any lack of merit in the application, it just seems they were overwhelmed with applications and didn’t have the funds to fund them all.”
Asked where the project goes from here, he said: “That’s the main question.
“We’ve been working through different options, looking at different scenarios with staff,” he added. “Everybody’s committed to trying to find a way forward.”
Cubitt noted the RHI program “was the best program on offer at the time.”
He said now it is a matter of reassessing and looking at different programs within the National Housing Strategy and coming up with a different plan.
When asked if working on the school building first an adding on another building later is being looked at, Cubitt said, “I think all options are on the table right now.
“It’s kind of back to ground zero.”