Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project is underway

Whitby, Ontario – The Regional Municipality of Durham is moving forward with the Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project, a 10-unit micro-home community in central Oshawa.

With occupancy projected for fall 2021, the Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project includes 10 micro-home units that will offer temporary transitional housing, with various supports. These supports include financial assistance, employment services, mental health and addictions supports, life skills teaching and more.

The goal of this time-limited transitional housing is to help bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing. Residents will enter into a Participation Agreement, as opposed to signing a lease, that will be tied into program participation.

The micro-home units will be located on Regionally owned land in central Oshawa: fronting Olive Avenue to the south, Drew Street to the east, and Banting Avenue to the north. 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 Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project is aligned with At Home In Durham, the Durham Housing Plan (2014-2024), which aims to end chronic homelessness in Durham.

Learn more at durham.ca/OshawaMicroHomes.

Quotes

“Durham Regional Council committed to initiating the development of 1,000 new affordable rental units, by 2024, through the redevelopment of our 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.”

- John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Region of Durham

“The road realignment project presented us with an opportunity to address the urgent need for housing in Durham Region. This temporary pilot project will help us move forward in our goal to end chronic homelessness in our 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.”

- Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou, Commissioner of Social Services

Quick Facts

• The Regional Municipality of Durham remains committed to ending chromic homelessness in Durham Region. Since July 2020, Durham Region’s Homelessness Support System has housed more than 100 people; more than 50 per cent were experiencing chronic homelessness, which means they had been homeless for at least six months in the previous year.
• This project was approved by Regional Council for expedited development on July 29, 2020 due to an urgent need for affordable and supportive housing.
• The Region is working with the Health, Homelessness and Housing Committee (H3), a sub-committee of the Durham Advisory Committee on Homelessness (DACH), to address the eligibility, intake process and ongoing supports needed for the Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project.
• The micro-home units will be modular units, manufactured indoors and brought to the site for final installation. Design is still under development; environmental considerations will be prioritized to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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For media inquiries, please contact Corporate Communications.