$12.4M will help bring over 50 new affordable housing units to Brampton: report

Using more than $12.4 million in federal housing funding gifted to the city would help bring a new development with more than 50 affordable units to Brampton, and support women fleeing violent situations.

The proposal is for a 104-unit development at the corner of Church Street East and Beech Street, split between 52 affordable housing units and 52 market-rate units, “intended to meet the diverse needs of individuals, couples, and families,” according to a funding grant proposal and development application.

The affordable housing units would have a maximum rent of $1,348 for a bachelor suite, $1,622 for a one-bedroom unit, $1,866 for two bedrooms and $2,002 for a three-bedroom suite.

Non-profit group called Church Two says some of the affordable suites would be specifically for women and children fleeing abusive relationships, as well as single women with children. The group will partner with women’s shelter group Armagh House, Peel Region’s only transitional supportive housing program, according to the application.

The units would be kept at the prescribed affordability levels for a minimum period of 25 years.

According to the application, a heritage property at 132 Church St. E. would have to be relocated to allow for the development. Church Two, along with Coun. Rowena Santos, are asking for the home to be relocated to a city-owned lot two kilometres away at Central Public School to be used as a centre for the arts.

The project is asking the city for $240,000 per unit for each of the 52 affordable units for a total of $12.48 million to move the project forward, with funds coming from the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) – an initiative under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that committed $114 million to kick-start the construction of housing projects in the city.

Brampton was also awarded an additional $5 million this year under the program for a purpose-built rental incentive program.

Brampton City Council passed a motion put forward by Coun. Paul Vicente in support of the project on Wednesday, following a report to the Planning and Development Committee on Monday.A request for comment from Vicente wasn’t immediately returned.

Mayor Patrick Brown said there’s urgency from the federal government to “use it or lose it” when it comes to HAF spending.

“We’re not building at the pace we need to…the minister has told me very clearly he wants to see shovels in the ground, and there’s concern these projects aren’t happening as quickly,” Brown said while speaking about the project on Wednesday. “To the proponent of this (application), we want shovels in the ground yesterday. And for those other not for profits in the city that have utilized Housing Accelerator Fund dollars, use it or lose it.”