City council awarded nearly $1.4 million to a permanent supportive housing project in the Onward Willow neighbourhood on Monday, essentially emptying the reserve fund before adding back into it.
The spending recommendation came from County of Wellington staff, which oversees social housing efforts on behalf of the city.
Those dollars will go toward a project at 10 Shelldale Cres. – made up of previously severed lands behind apartment buildings at 85 and 89 Willow Rd. – being headed by Kindle Communities and Guelph Community Health Centre (GCHC) on lands donated by Skyline Group of Companies and Starlight Investments.
The project involves the creation of a 32-unit permanent supportive housing project, with 24-hour support services provided by GCHC. All of the residential units – to be bachelor apartments – are to be on the second through fifth floors, with common indoor amenity and office space on the main level.
“This project scored very well in the evaluation process and represents an excellent opportunity to create long term affordable housing options that will also support our community’s goal of ending chronic homelessness,” states a letter to council from the county’s social services department, which oversees social housing issues on behalf of the city. “Receipt of municipal funding will reduce the debt the organization will need to finance, which will in turn increase the long-term viability of the project.
“This project has previously received funding from the County of Wellington through federal/provincial affordable housing request for proposals.”
During Monday's meeting, council pumped $575,832 back into the affordable housing reserve. Those funds were pulled from a previously planned transfer to the a reserve intended to help mitigate the rising cost of infrastructure renewal projects.
During its committee of the whole meeting earlier this month, council agreed to take $575,832 allocation from the 2021 year-end Guelph Police Service surplus of about $1.6 million.
“The issue of affordable housing and getting people from living rough to temporary supportive housing is real, is urgent,” Coun. Rodrigo Goller said as he introduced the motion.
Coun. Dominique O’Rourke, who seconded the motion voted against the transfer at the committee of the whole.
“Having us mess with their surplus at council sets a dangerous precedent,” she said Monday.
As a result of the change in funding, GPS will hold onto its entire surplus amount.
