No takers yet for Sarnia affordable housing grants

There have been no takers yet for municipal grants designed to help boost affordable housing in Sarnia.

Article content

“We’ve certainly had some questions,” but no formal applications yet, since the city’s affordable housing community improvement plan came out earlier this yearsaid city planning manager Eric Hyatt.

Council approved the plan in February that offers tens of thousands of dollars in grants toward studies and construction of new builds and extra units, but practical rules for its implementation weren’t introduced until July, after affordability definitions were set by the province.

The plan also gives breaks on parking space requirements for affordable apartment buildings.

To be eligible, projects first have to meet the provincial affordability benchmark, based on income or market factors, Hyatt said.

Article content

Tea line in Sarnia works out to $338,000 or less for a detached house, $288,000 for a townhouse, and $1,100 or less monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment.

Meeting the definition, expected to be reviewed provincially next year, also means exemption from development charges and parkland dedication requirements under provincial rules, a city staff report says, with the caveat that builds must be kept affordable for 25 years through agreements with the municipality, province, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., or county.

“There’s a number of ways that these projects are funded,” Hyatt said.

City staff are keeping an eye on uptake, he said.

Sarnia approved $75,000 in its 2024 budget for another, four-year-old community improvement plan (CIP) that offers grants for landscaping, facade improvement, building renovations and adding extra residential downtown and in Mitton Village.

Article content

That same funding envelope — last year $63,000 was lost — is also being used for the new affordable housing community improvement plan, Hyatt said.

So far, about $30,000 has been approved this year for downtown and Mitton Village CIP projects, he said.

“They haven’t necessarily been entirely realized yet or paid out yet, but that’s what we’ve got allocated so far through agreements,” Hyatt said.

Staff plan to report back to council once 50 per cent of the $75,000 budget has been approved for spending, he said, so council can consider whether or not to top up the fund.

Staff also review eligibility criteria with prospective applicants so people know if they meet the basic requirements before going through the full application process, he said.

“We’re aware of the need for housing within the community and the CIP here is an opportunity for us as a city to provide some financial incentive to support the development of those types of units,” he said.

[email protected]

Article content