Parkland on Kathleen Avenue in Sarnia could be the site of a new public housing project Lambton County wants to develop quickly under a plan to expand access to affordable housing.
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A proposal for a 30 to 50-unit, two or three-storey building at an estimated cost of $16.5 million on county-owned land on Kathleen Avenue is scheduled to go before a county committee meeting Wednesday.
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It comes after county council endorsed a plan earlier this month to pursue affordable and supportive housing projects at five potential sites and set a goal of opening the first one within 18 months.
The land on Kathleen Avenue is currently leased to the city for use as a park and work is already underway on a rezoning application, the county said.
“Staff investigated shovel-ready projects and given the timeline requirements, the only project that may be eligible is the development of the Kathleen Avenue property,” said a county report.
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A business case has been submitted by the county for up to $5 million that may be available under a 2023-24 Canada Ontario Community Housing Initiative, but the application deadline was this month.
The approximately one acre of open land at 471 Kathleen Ave. was among five sites assessed by a consulting firm that prepared the affordable housing plan for the county.
“I think this is their only option to move forward, that can get approved,” said Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, who initiated the 18-month goal for development of the first project under the county plan.
“The units are most needed and most welcome,” he said.
Bradley said he has long been concerned “about concentrating social housing in one area.”
Kathleen Avenue is already home to public housing owned and operated by the county.
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But, Bradley added, “we need to move forward and it looks like this a doable project within the timeframe, so I will be supportive.”
The proposed building is expected to have 30 to 50 one-bedroom apartments and the county’s consultant estimated it could cost between $10 million and $16.5 million to build, depending on the final number of units.
“The site is surrounded by family-size community housing duplexes, with few options for older adults looking to downsize,” the consultant said.
One-bedroom units “would offer housing alternatives for tenants who are over-housed in their current home, while allowing them to remain near their existing social support community,” the consultant said.
The county’s housing services department said that along with up to $5 million from the federal-provincial initiative, the project may be eligible for other provincial and federal housing funding.
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Lambton may be expected to contribute $4 million, along with borrowing another $2.6 million to help pay for the project.
“Once an architect is secured and a detailed project concept is developed,” a more detailed project cost estimate is expected to be available, the county said.
County staff are asking for council’s approval to proceed with design, engineering and construction of the project, provided the provincial-federal funding of up to $5 million is approved.
Facing a shortage of affordable and supportive housing, and the rising number of people experiencing homelessness, county council in July declared providing affordable housing and shelter its No. 1 priority.
As well as the Kathleen Avenue land, potential sites for new public affordable housing in the county plan includes a Victoria Street parking lot offered by the city, two other unnamed Sarnia sites and vacant land on Ontario Street in Wyoming.
Lambton has also provided up to $200,000 each in seed funding for five local not-for-profit groups to begin planning other potential affordable housing projects.
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