GuelphToday received the following letter to the editor from reader Ray Acharya in response to our story State of the City: Mayor tells community to get behind new housing
Housing in Guelph, especially for students who have to deal with the high cost of education, is hard to come by. Not only is there a lack of availability, primarily caused by the community’s disdain for large-scale apartment buildings, but the cost of shared housing has also increased dramatically.
With the influx of students and the lack of university accommodations, creating a large affordable housing complex is the only solution. In 2022, a proposed development would replace the Days inn on Gordon Street, just minutes away from the University. The city council voted 11-1 in opposition, except for Mayor Cam Guthrie. The rejection of such a development is detrimental to the Guelph housing market as landlords can take advantage and raise the rent in the wake of increased demand.
Mayor Cam Guthrie is willing to work on approving new housing developments, but community members and council members are still apprehensive. Both council and the community need to reassess their views because opposing affordable housing developments will only do more harm.
Ray Acharya
