Could partner with Habitat for Humanity on housing
The County of Haliburton is in talks with Haliburton Wee Care, Habitat for Humanity and the City of Kawartha Lakes human services department about redeveloping the nursery property on County Road 21 for housing, expanded day care, and other uses.
Discussed at a Dec. 13 County council meeting, it was decided $100,000 be transferred from the affordable housing targets program reserve to fund technical studies that will be needed to redevelop the site.
In a written report, director of planning Steve Stone said, “staff are recommending that childcare and housing are the primary goals of this re-development.”
He said it’s because “access to childcare has become increasingly challenging.” There are no licensed spaces available for infants in Haliburton village; only 15 per cent of children up to the age of five have access to a licensed childcare space; children in the County may start Kindergarten before receiving an available licensed childcare space, with a predicted 4.2-year wait, and most commuters in the County remain in the County for work, Stone said.
When it comes to housing, Stone said Dysart et al has said the site could accommodate 38 residential units, while Habitat for Humanity put that number at 63 residential units.
Stone noted the County had experienced a 300 per cent increase in the number of households waiting for community housing in the last 10 years; rental rates have risen by 72 per cent for one-bedroom apartments, and 23 per cent for two-bedroom apartments since 2018; only 50 units of affordable housing are in development towards the target of 750; and the business case for development of housing “simply does not work anymore due to increasing costs of construction, increasing interest rates and limited funding from other levels of government,” the County planner said.
Stone added partnering with Habitat for Humanity, and using its model, could work.
“Habitat for Humanity has some advantages that other developers do not. They are a registered charity which can receive donations. They estimate they can develop units for about two-thirds the cost of a traditional builder as they have preferential purchasing agreements with various suppliers.”
Stone added, “it is our understanding they would be proposing a condominium type development, where properties are purchased and mortgages, condo fees etc. are capped at 30 per cent of the owners’ income. The model is truly affordable home ownership”
With a condo model, Stone said the County would have to transfer ownership of the property to Habitat for Humanity. “We could, in turn, request that the daycare building ownership be transferred back to the County of Haliburton as a part of the condominium,” he added. “In addition, the County could procure a few of the residential units for use by health care workers, municipal workers transitioning into the community etc.”
As for next steps, Stone said they need to get a handle on what the site can accommodate. He suggested later this year, and into early 2024, there be a survey, site evaluation report, environmental impact study, geotechnical study, hydrogeological assessment, environmental site assessment and a look into parking and sewer capacity. He thinks the County could do its own planning justification report and public consultation strategy. That’s where the $100,000 would be spent.
Council received the report for information only, with warden Liz Daneilsen saying, “I know that there are a lot of moving parts to this particular project, but to me it’s a really exciting step that we’re taking and I certainly hope it’s a successful project.”
