‘We couldn’t do this by ourselves’: Affordable housing project coming to Halton Street in Perth after town sells land to Carebridge Community Support for $1

The site of the land sold falls within PerthWorks, a sustainable neighbourhood project developed by the Town of Perth in 2009 and funded in part by the federal government. 

The town recently issued a request for proposals for the land sale with the stipulation that it be used for affordable housing for a period of no less than 30 years.

Carebridge submitted a proposal, which then came forward for council’s approval.

“Having the land is a really great start,” said Robert Eves, CEO of Carebridge Community Support, member of Lanark Community Alliance. “It will be an interesting piece of property to work with.”

Eves explained the project is only possible with multilevel partnerships.

“It’s really the only way forward to keep building affordable housing stock,” he said. “We couldn’t do this by ourselves.”

The concept for the project is for a two-storey, 15-unit apartment complex, fitting within the original vision for the neighbourhood.

Eves said Carebridge is happy to have support again from local developer Guy Saumure & Sons — who also helped make the 34-unit affordable housing project in Smiths Falls a reality. That development is set to celebrate its grand opening on May 2.

Eves estimated the Perth project will need about $4 to 5 million in capital. 

Carebridge will seek support from Lanark County.

“They come forward with capital and on the operating side — they help provide rental supplements and rent geared to income program,” he said. “The county is essential filling in the blanks. They help keep the units affordable. That’s just as important as the capital up front. They are an essential player in this.”

If Carebridge is successful in securing capital from the county, the organization can apply for funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation — a federal crown corporation responsible for administering the National Housing Act.

The town says once the agreement is completed for the land sale, Carebridge will be subject to the full planning process, which will include pre-consultation with staff, various studies and opportunity for public engagement.

Eves acknowledged the importance of community consultation as the project moves forward.

“We have to be sensitive to the needs of the community around it,” he said. “We don’t want to be putting something in there that doesn’t jive with the property. We wanted to make sure the community does have a voice in this.”

Eves said it will be about a year before the project will be at a stage where shovels can get in the ground depending on the planning process.

Housing was the basis of Carebridge’s origins as the Almonte Community Development Corporation.

“That hasn’t changed,” said Eves.

Eves said what has changed is government and private sector buy-in to tacking the housing crisis. Canada is six years into its federal housing strategy. 

“Up until recently, housing wasn’t a priority for any level of government,” he said. “There’s a lot more will to make it happen.”

The town explains both the provincial and federal governments have identified the need for housing starts, with a specific focus on affordable housing.

“Council is supportive of establishing more affordable housing initiatives within the community, and we recognize that this is an important and vital step in meeting our strategic priorities,” says Mayor Judy Brown. “Carebridge has long expressed interest in developing affordable housing in Perth, and we’re looking forward to seeing their vision come to life on Halton Street.”

Efforts are being made across all levels of government to achieve accessible housing, including accelerator funds, grant opportunities and more.

“The town is excited at this first step in creating an avenue for the creation of affordable housing and will continue to strive to establish pathways for development in the future,” the town said in a release dated April 21. “Staff and council recognize the growing needs of the municipality in creating economical housing options, something that is much-needed as many residents face financial strains and business owners struggle to attract workers to the area.”