The Town of St. Marys plans to alleviate a housing shortage by adding 200 new rental units to its housing stock by 2027, including 30 units that would fall into the affordable/attainable housing category.
The initiative is part of a new action plan, Opening Doors, developed by a housing expert, following consultations with developers, builders, and community members, the town said in a media release.
St. Marys Mayor Al Strathdee told StratfordToday the plan was developed over the course of about a year - with some other town council initiatives stretching back further than that - and included a partnership with a consultant, who has worked with the City of London on housing.
With the policies in place, the town has applied for the federal government's housing accelerator fund, which provides money to cities and towns, aimed at speeding up home building processes. The mayor said the town has not heard back after submitting the application.
"In order to access that we have to have our ducks in a row," the mayor said.
Rental stock is the biggest housing needs in the town at the moment, Strathdee said.
When vacancies do arise, rents are often higher than what the average earner can afford.
“We have people working good jobs, earning a decent wage, who can’t find a house or afford rent in St. Marys,” said Strathdee. “That’s a problem. Everyone deserves a place to call home.”
The plan identifies areas the town should focus on to achieve housing goals: policies, programs and incentives, land, and implementation team. Focus areas direct the town to review its by-laws, processes, grants, and landholdings to ensure they are being used in a way that advances its housing goals.
Strathdee said the town has enjoyed good growth in terms of home building and they continue to support building new homes for sale, however, those projects have been slowing down or stalling due to rising interest rates, he said.
In terms of rental builds, when Opening Doors is completed, the town hopes to have a variety of options available for renters.
"That is our hope (to have a mix)."
A copy of the Opening Doors plan is available on the town website. Residents can read the plan and view a summarized list of the four focus areas, associated initiatives and progress to date. Those interested can subscribe to the page to receive an email when new information is added and milestones are reached.
Questions about the plan can be directed to Grant Brouwer, director of building and development at 519-284-2340, ext. 215 or [email protected]
