By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
UPDATE – For information on how to access Haldimand Norfolk Housing Services, visit hnhousing.org
Here are a list of useful links for community members finding themselves in an at-risk housing situation:
To find out more about rent-geared-to-income housing on Norfolk County’s Housing website: https://hnhousing.org/housing-services/rent-geared-to-income-housing/
The direct link to the application is: http://hnhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/RGI-Housing-Application.pdf
For more information on Emergency Programs: https://hnhousing.org/homeless-prevention-services/emergency programs/
HALDIMAND—Last week, The Press highlighted a few of the many stories of local residents facing housing insecurity as rising rent and mortgage prices put affordable housing out of reach for many. This week, for the second part of our look at the affordable housing dilemma in Haldimand County, we spoke to various organizations in the area for a look at what they are doing to address the issue, and what supports are available.
“Attainable housing in Haldimand County is at a critical point,” said Donna Bacher, President of the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington. “We are continuing to face record low inventory. Haldimand County is attractive to buyers in Hamilton and Niagara due to its more affordable nature than city centres. Municipalities need to make affordable housing front and centre in any planning or zoning decisions, especially for entry-level buyers and empty-nesters.”
One Haldimand County Social Services worker, speaking under condition of anonymity with the name John Doe, laid out the frustration felt by those working on the frontlines of the affordable housing crisis: “There are 17 emergency shelter beds in ALL of Haldimand Norfolk and they are always full. Social services/housing has switched to a ‘diversion’ model, basically meaning they have no housing to help, so are now only trying to find housing with friends, relatives, etc.… It’s beyond a crisis at this time.”
While homelessness comes with many obvious challenges and concerns, Doe said there are many other issues that the public at large may not realize. This includes trouble getting bail without a fixed address for those in police custody, with some people forced to remain in custody specifically due to their homelessness.
Doe said that the current situation “leaves the workers feeling powerless to help with housing. Which, in the end, is the building block for everything that follows.”
“Having to tell people on a daily basis that there is nowhere for them to live can take an emotional toll over time,” he added, asserting that more dedicated funding for affordable housing and a plan for more homeless shelters in Haldimand and Norfolk is vital to addressing the crisis.
Hamilton-based charity Indwell is one group focused on providing solutions and developing affordable living solutions in five municipalities, including Haldimand and Norfolk.
“We’ve got two projects in Simcoe,” said Graham Cubitt, Director of Projects and Development for Indwell. The first of those projects, known as Hambleton Hall, opened in 2016 and features 35 studio and one-bedroom apartments. The other, slated to open in March 2022 at the old Norfolk Inn, is called Dogwood Suites and will feature 51 residential units and ground-floor commercial space.
“We’re just scratching the surface. As we’ve seen, more and more people are looking for affordable housing, and it’s not just people on ODSP anymore or folks who are unemployed. Even people who are employed full time can no longer afford to buy housing,” said Cubitt. He noted that in addition to the rising costs of buying a home, those looking to rent are often out of luck due to the bidding wars generated by a lack of openings: “Prices are skyrocketing.”
Funding for Indwell’s projects comes from multiple sources, including donations, which can be made at their website, indwell.ca, as well as programs like the Rapid Housing Initiative and the Federal government’s Co-Investment Program, offered through the National Housing Strategy. The program requires other levels of government to participate as well, with Norfolk County committing to $250,000/year for the next 20 years. Private businesses or investors who donate also contribute towards the mandatory co-investment.
Cubitt said that Indwell has not yet directly approached Haldimand County but that they plan to, citing the growing crisis in the region as a push to accelerate that process.
Jerri Whiting, Project Manager of Continuous Improvement for Haldimand County, said that the County has built numerous affordable housing options over the last 15 years, including apartments in Hagersville, Caledonia, and Cayuga, in addition to affordable housing for seniors on the Grandview Lodge grounds.
“There are rent-geared-to-income social housing units for individuals and families located throughout Haldimand County … that are owned and operated by the Haldimand Norfolk Housing Corporation and other non-profit housing providers,” explained Whiting, adding that those in need can apply to a central waiting list. “There are also units that are affordable housing, which means that the rent is at 80% of the average market rent or lower that have been built with federal and provincial affordable housing funds – for example, Maple Grove Place and Aspen Apartments in Dunnville. We know that the demand is greater than the supply and we are always working towards solutions.”
While these options are in place currently, more work is needed to end the housing crisis. On future steps, Whiting stated, “Haldimand County has identified increased affordable housing as a strategic priority and as a first step, Health & Social Services updated the 10-year Housing and Homeless Plan for Haldimand and Norfolk, which outlines strategies the counties can consider to work with developers and other community partners to increase affordable housing stock.”
Tentative plans will be considered by Council this fall regarding whether some existing housing units in the County’s portfolio will be regenerated or redeveloped, with some land in Dunnville being earmarked, in principle, for a potential new mixed housing initiative.
Health & Social Services oversees various programs, including rent supplement and housing allowances: “We are also working with developers who are interested in building new affordable housing to identify potential funding streams to support their development,” said Whiting.
Despite this, the County plan does not seem to have many solutions for the working-class residents of Haldimand who, while not classified as low-income, are finding themselves edged out of rental properties by people with higher incomes looking to live in a rural environment.
“The County does not have any current plans to expand its role beyond the provincially defined Affordable Housing Program, which focuses primarily on low-income individuals and families, into areas of private housing affordability with respect to the current market rate conditions,” said Whiting. She encouraged the public to reach out to the County if they have any ideas regarding homelessness prevention to share.
Cubitt believes the low-income-focused approach needs to be reconsidered: “Municipal governments think of housing like investing in social services, but it’s really investing in the core stability of their community…. It’s not all people in poverty with addictions, there are people who are working full time that are trying to get a family going.”
“Housing is such a core human need,” summed up Cubitt. “Municipalities have a huge opportunity…. If we rethink housing as civic infrastructure and invest in it the same way we do other kinds of infrastructure, we can get a lot of housing built.”
