The Paris Independent
7
February 17, 2024
COMMUNITY NEWS Brantford and Brant County Address Affordable Housing Challenges, Seek Increased Funding “The current wait times for community housing will decrease when a number of new buildings under construction become ready for occupancy. These include: a 49-unit development at 170 Trillium Way in Paris.” ~ Mary Musson, the director of housing and homelessness in Brantford By Chris Whelan Important statistics from 2022 shed light on the housing situation in the area. A total of 1,041 new applications were submitted for local rent-geared-to-income housing, with 44 percent of these applications coming from families, 37 percent from singles or couples, and 19 percent from seniors. Currently, 1,214 households are on the waitlist for housing, with 74 percent residing in Brantford or Brant County and the remaining 26 percent from Encouragingly, the supply-demand outside the immediate area. issue has shown signs of improvement. In 2023, a record- The wait time for community breaking number of 225 families housing varies according to were successfully housed, marking applicant demographics. Nonapplicants without the highest figure in five years. senior Additionally, applications for dependents face the longest wait, affordable housing have reached estimated at eight to 12 years. the lowest level in half a decade, Families with dependents can indicating positive trends in the expect to wait three to seven years, while seniors aged 60 and local housing market. older have a wait time of two to However, the council remains four years. acutely aware that homelessness rent and housing challenges continue Rent-geared-to-income to plague the region. To combat typically amounts to 30 percent of these issues, they are determined a household's monthly income. to pursue more effective solutions For those receiving social for both communities. assistance, the rent is determined At the February 7th Social Services Committee meeting, jointly conducted by the County of Brant and Brantford, council members engaged in a comprehensive discussion on the state of affordable housing. While acknowledging the progress made in reducing the waiting list, they emphasized the need for further action to address homelessness and housing issues in the County of Brant and the City of Brantford.
based on the shelter benefit set by the Ontario government. Mary Musson, the director of housing and homelessness in Brantford, highlighted the pressing need for affordable housing in her report. She cited rising home prices and rental costs as contributing factors that fuel the demand for accessible housing options. Additionally, fewer households are vacating rentgeared-to-income units due to financial constraints, resulting in a reduced number of subsidized housing offers. To address the housing crisis, eligible households can apply for any rent-geared-to-income units in Brantford and Brant County, as well as rent supplement units provided by private landlords. In some cases, applicants can choose to remain in their current residence and receive a temporary rent allowance if their landlord agrees to enter an agreement with the city.
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