Clarington Council received a presentation about a potential 50-unit micro housing cabin community on Maple Grove Road in Bowmanville.
The proposal was presented by Durham Region Non-Profit Housing Corporation (DRNPHC) as a way to combat the growing housing and homelessness challenges in Durham Region.
Council passed a motion to support the DRNPHC project by waiving fees for related planning applications (up to a maximum of $5,000) and providing up to $355,000 in infrastructure funding, should DRNPHC decide to pursue a Clarington site. At this time, the municipality has not received a formal proposal from DRNPHC for this project, said a council notice.
The micro housing is intended to help people experiencing homelessness move from encampments into safe, private cabins with access to shared washrooms, showers, kitchen and laundry facilities, along with 24-hour wraparound supports, according to council reports.
Over 1,600 individuals are currently experiencing homelessness according to the presentation brought before council. The presentation also identified increasing pressure on shelters and public services.
The proposed model would provide approximately 50 small, prefabricated cabin units with shared communal facilities and 24/7 support, intended to serve as a transitional step between encampments and permanent housing.
Cabin Communities fill a critical gap between the community found in encampments and the security of affordable housing. They link folks who don’t access the shelter system into the actual housing continuum.
Without this, they are left out. They are a rapid, low-cost, transitional approach to the growing unsheltered crisis, alleviating encampments while helping people break the cycle of homelessness. Quick to build, portable, & 24-7 wrap-around supports.
Below is the proposed site of the micro home community.
In the presentation, a few examples that have seen success with this model were brought up such as Modular Bridge Housing for the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough and STEP Place, John Howard Society of Kelowna and BC Housing in British Columbia.
Below is an example of how the micro homes would be placed
Orono
Council also heard the Durham County Senior Citizens Lodge which presented a proposed seniors affordable housing project at 200 Station Street in Orono. The Lodge currently has 41 residential units and is proposing an expansion that would add 58 one-bedroom affordable units (earlier story), offered at or below CMHC Average Market Rent.
To support the proposed expansion and the infrastructure needed to support it, council approved a package of financial support that includes waiving the required Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan application fees, providing a grant-in-lieu for Building Permit fees, and contributing $255,000 of Building Faster Funding to support infrastructure.