ABERFOYLE – Other municipalities might have trouble spending $1 million on affordable housing projects.
But Puslinch council was quick, at its Sept. 17 meeting, to approve $800,000 for the Village at Sunrise Farm proposal and another $200,000 to provide grants to residents who want to build additional residential units (ARUs) on their property.
Wellington County had planned to build a continuum of care campus in Aboyne but nixed the idea last spring.
Instead, county council decided to divvy up the $7 million set aside for that project and grant $1 million to each of the seven municipalities for affordable housing projects through its Housing Development Fund.
There’s a long list of criteria to meet to be eligible but the bottom line is all permissions must be in place by Dec. 31, 2027 for a project to qualify.
Ann Caine and Peter Cummins delegated on Sept. 17 to convince Puslinch council their project is worthy of the funding and of council’s endorsement.
Both are board members of Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre, which has a plan to build 14 supportive housing units on its rural acreage.
A fundraising campaign is underway and the centre has also completed a site plan control application and submitted building permits for review. An $800,000 injection of cash would strengthen their campaign, officials said.
Caine said many of the centre’s clients have been attending Sunrise since they were children.
Now that they are adults, and with their parents aging too, supportive housing is a dire need in this community and among this population.
“It’s rare for a township to have the ability and resources to make an impact like this,” Cummins said.
“The housing development fund is a rare opportunity. And we’re ready to go to tender and to build.
“Local government support will go a long way. It’s huge for us as we go to other donors.”
“This is exactly the kind of thing this funding should go to,” said councillor Jessica Goyda.
“I think this will be a flagship (development) and I hope this funding will help to unwrap other funding. This is something special.”
Mayor James Seeley suggested Caine and Cummins meet with the county’s director of social services to impress upon that person the importance and urgency of the project and hopefully to win the grant.
He noted an application for a project in Guelph/Eramosa – for Squires Lodge to construct affordable housing for seniors – was the first successful grant from the program.
“And I don’t think it was as far along as yours,” he said to the delegation.
“I think Sunrise is in a good position because it is further along.”
The township had recently updated its zoning bylaw to allow up to three ARUs on residential properties.
But the uptick has been slow, CAO Courtenay Hoytfox told council, averaging about five applications a year.
As ARUs are a major strategy to increase housing in Puslinch Township, staff recommended using some of the funds to incite homeowners to add these kinds of rental units.
Grants of $10,000 each would support construction of 20 ARUs in the township and could be used for well or septic upgrades, professionally prepared permit drawings or construction costs.
Council agreed with the staff recommendation to start a grant program with the other $200,000.
