Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project underway
There will be 10 micro-home units in two clusters of five units. They will be modular, manufactured indoors and brought to the site for final installation of foundations pre-constructed on the site. Above is the preliminary site layout. (Photo supplied)
The vulnerable population in Oshawa is getting some extra support.
The Region of Durham is moving forward with the Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project, which will see a 10-unit micro-home community in central Oshawa.
Occupancy is projected for fall 2021 and will offer temporary transitional housing, with various supports, including financial assistance, employment services, mental health and addictions support, life skills and more, according to the region.
The region says the goal of this time-limited transitional housing is to help bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing. Residents will enter into a Participant Agreement, as opposed to aligning a lease, which will be tied into program participation.
Durham Regional Chair John Henry says Durham Regional Council committed to initiating the development of 1,000 new affordable rental units by 2024, through the redevelopment of Local Housing Corporation sites; incentivizing affordable housing development; and leveraging publicly held land.
“The Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project is an innovative, temporary use of public lands to help people get back on their feet and end their homelessness,” states Henry.
The micro-home units will be located on regionally owned land is central Oshawa, fronting Olive Avenue to the south, Drew Street to the east, and Banting Avenue to the north.
According to the region, this location will be available until a realignment project starts in approximately five years. The homes will then be relocated to a permanent location, which has yet to be determined.
“The road realignment project presented us with an opportunity to address the urgent need for housing in Durham Region,” states Commissioner of Social Services Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou.
She says this temporary pilot project will help us move forward in our goal to end chronic homelessness in the community, as transitional housing provides residents with the support they need to end their homelessness.
“No one should get left behind or fall through the cracks.”
Durham Region’s Homelessness Support System has housed more than 100 people since July 2020; more than 50 per cent were experiencing chronic homelessness, which means they had been homeless for at least six months in the previous year.