Stephen Vance, Staff
Affordable housing has been in the news a lot recently, but for those in search of an affordable place to live, the headlines often focus on how to tackle the problem, not necessarily how to access the affordable housing opportunities that exist in the community.
In Grey County 888 geared-to-income housing units are managed by the County, while another 600 units are available through ten non-profit housing providers. With geared-to-income housing units, the rent is set at approximately 30 percent of the tenant’s household income, which helps ensure that housing is affordable, and that tenants can still afford groceries and other living costs.
During a presentation to Meaford council on May 29, Grey County Warden Alan Barfoot, and County CAO Kim Wingrove told council that affordable housing is a high priority issue for the county.
“Social housing, affordable housing is something that’s been on the radar screen a lot the last year or so,” Wingrove told council. “I know it’s a real concern for many.”
In Meaford there are 181 affordable housing units, all of which are currently rented, resulting in wait-lists for those needing housing assistance. For those on a wait-list, the wait could be months, or it could be years.
“Grey County operates 58 one-bedroom units, four bachelor units and ten family units. Golden Town Residential Community, a non-profit, owns 46 units for seniors and 63 units for families. Currently all units of these units are rented out, but eligible residents can apply to a wait-list,” the County told The Independent. “Because demand is high for all unit types, residents can only apply to units with the number of bedrooms they need. For example, a single person is eligible for a one-bedroom or bachelor unit, but not a family unit. This is a fair way to make sure families have better access to housing they can afford. Once on the wait-list, tenants are notified when a unit becomes available. The wait can be anywhere between a few months to a few years.”
In addition to providing affordable housing units, Grey County also supports a number of community partnerships that focus on food and nutrition, mental health services, and family health. The county also provides funding to the Y Housing Support program, which provides emergency and housing support services for residents in search of housing.
Additionally, in 2016, more than $600,000 was shared through the Sustainable Housing Program to help residents in need pay last month’s rent, utility bills, and moving expenses. The County also has a rent supplement program to help bridge the gap between monthly income and rent up to $200.
In spite of the many initiatives and significant dollars directed at affordable housing, Grey County concedes that much more assistance is required.
“Even with all of these supports in place, we know we still have more work to do. We envision a Grey County free of homelessness where everyone has access to safe and affordable housing. Our 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan is getting us closer to this goal. The plan focuses on sustaining and creating more affordable housing, stopping homelessness, transitional housing, and service collaboration,” the County told The Independent.
Grey County has recently released their 2016 Housing and Homelessness Report. It highlights the work that has been undertaken over the past year. You can access the report on their website www.Grey.ca.
If you or someone you know needs housing support, contact Grey County. The toll free number is 1-800-567-4739. Their office is open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
