Tenants already settling in as London affordable housing project opens

Residents were already moving in before London’s latest affordable housing project officially opened Friday, another sign of a fast-growing city rushing to build options for low-income renters.

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The first residents of the 42-unit development at 345 Sylvan St., near Base Line and Wellington roads, arrived last month, London’s city manager said, a milestone for a project in the works since 2019.

“These are permanent housing units, not transitional housing,” Scott Mathers said Friday. “These give people a place where they have stability.”

Construction of the building was supported by more than $5 million from the federal and provincial governments through the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative, officials said Friday.

“We’re always looking for ways to get shovels in the ground quicker. London is doing a great job on that,” said Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae, parliamentary assistant to Ontario’s housing minister.

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“The only way we’re going to get more units of affordable housing built is if there’s partnerships between all three levels of government. The private sector is not going to meet that demand.”

The Sylvan Street building also got $8.8 million from the federal Rapid Housing Initiative and $7.8 million from the city, both announced last year.

“Nothing happens without partnership on any file, but particularly when it comes to housing,” said London North Center MP Peter Fragiskatos, parliamentary secretary to the federal housing minister.

“Everybody deserves to have shelter. Everybody deserves to have dignified housing and that’s exactly what has been made possible through this partnership.”

London Middlesex Community Housing runs the three-storey building, which has two bachelor, 36 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units.

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Rents, which vary with unit size, are geared to residents’ income, Mathers said.

Building affordable housing in London would be “impossible” without Ottawa’s and Ontario’s support, Mayor Josh Morgan said.

“We already have tremendous upward pressure on property taxes. Housing is a priority that all three levels of government share, and all three governments should be involved in,” Morgan said. “It is absolutely critical we bring these partnerships to fruition.”

London council approved acquiring the site in November 2019 and rezoned it in March 2021 for housing development, though neighbors’ appeal of that decision delayed the build.

City hall, which aims to create 3,000 new affordable housing units, is working on or has completed several projects, including supportive housing at 403 Thompson Rd., 122 Base Line Rd. W. and 1364-1408 Hyde Park Rd.

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