Durham Regional Council approves new Master Housing Strategy

Whitby, Ontario – Durham Regional Council has approved a new Master Housing Strategy to improve housing access for everyone.

The Strategy aims to improve affordability and access to housing across Durham Region, while highlighting priorities in At Home in Durham, the Durham Housing Plan 2014-2024, including providing affordable rent, greater housing choice, strong and vibrant neighbourhoods, and ending homelessness.

The new Master Housing Strategy is a living document that will:

• Revitalize the Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation portfolio of community housing properties, which includes 1,292 units across the Region. A strategy will be developed that addresses maintenance, revitalization, redevelopment and disposal across the portfolio.
• Review public surplus lands and their potential benefits to the community. 
• Create new partnerships and incentives for supplying affordable, community, supportive and transitional housing.
• Support the preservation and modernization of community housing, including opportunities for more flexible partnerships and support for capital needs. 
• Review and modernization of the homelessness and emergency shelter system to reduce chronic homelessness to zero.

In addition to approving the proposed Master Housing Strategy, Regional Council also approved:

• Allocating $3 million ($2 million from the Housing Development Charge Reserve Fund and $1 million from the Social Housing Reserve Fund) for the development of affordable housing.
• A $1 million contribution from the Social Housing Reserve Fund to establish the new Community Housing Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund.
• The ability for community housing providers to maintain all their calculated operating surplus as of 2020; and 50 per cent of that surplus be put into their capital reserve fund.
• A $75,000 reallocation, from the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative, to support the expedited development of the Beaverton Supportive Housing Residence and North Durham HUB. 

As per the five-year review of At Home in Durham, the Region is committed to reducing chronic homelessness to zero, increasing affordable rental housing by 1,000 units, increasing the supply of medium to high density housing, and making significant progress in the regeneration of community housing over the next five years. 

Visit the At Home in Durham webpage to learn more. 

Quotes

“The Region is committed to improving the quality of life of our residents. We believe that access to affordable housing options is essential, which is why the Region is working to create more rental properties, and affordable and below-market housing. Durham Region has so much to offer, including lively community centres, schools and spacious conservation areas, and we want to ensure more people can call this region their home.”

- John Henry, Regional Chair and CEO, Region of Durham

“Everyone in Durham Region should have access to affordable housing options. The Master Housing Strategy is a concrete action plan that will help us implement the goals set in the Durham Housing Plan 2014-2024. We firmly believe Durham Region residents should have affordable rent options and greater housing options.”

- Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou, Commissioner of Social Services

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For more information, please contact Corporate Communications.