South Kent Councillor Anthony Ceccacci is looking for Chatham-Kent staff to continue looking into affordable housing opportunities across the community.
“All taxpayers of Chatham-Kent will benefit greatly from successful funding opportunities that would enable more affordable housing developments to be created from other funding sources than the municipal tax levy,” Ceccacci said in a notice of motion.
“Administration has been directed by Council in previous reports to submit Expressions of Interest when surplus properties are made available, such as school boards or other levels of government, to purchase for housing opportunities.”
In his motion, Ceccacci has included a number of requests related to affordable housing, including:
– Directing administration to continue to submit expressions of interest, if warranted, when surplus properties are made available or to review privately owned available properties in order to undertake appropriate due diligence to determine if the property warrants consideration to purchase for housing opportunities.
– Authorizing administration, when warranted, to complete architectural pre-designs, feasibility studies, and cost estimations for the development of affordable housing options to maximize the number of units created that align with the results of the upcoming housing needs assessment and subsequent housing strategic plan.
– Directing administration to continue to seek grant funding from upper-level governments for capital costs and potential partnerships for affordable housing options.
– Directing administration to include the results of successful grant applications related to affordable housing developments, including both the last term and the current term of Council, at the time of creation of the next Chatham-Kent affordable housing development progress update information report.
Ray Harper, the director of housing in Chatham-Kent, says an update can be expected to come before Council by March.
“As noted previously, administration prepares an annual information report to provide Council with an update regarding affordable housing development,” Harper stated in the report attached with Ceccacci’s motion.
“Administration can begin to highlight successful grant applications within this report. Administration will continue to identify opportunities to increase housing options and will continue to pursue funding opportunities from upper levels of government.”
Ceccacci’s motion is on the agenda for the Monday, January 27, 2025 Council meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. at the Civic Centre in Chatham.
