A housing forum was held in December with recommendations that were brought many problems to light when it comes to housing and, according to Attainable Housing Committee, Vice-deputy Mayor Mike Myatt, the work is continuing.
Moving Testimonials on Housing
Throughout the region and the country, housing has become a major problem. House-ownership is almost out of reach for most people and rents have escalated after rent-controls were removed by the Harris government.
While Saugeen Shores and other municipalities are looking at various options to help solve the dire straits of housing, are there possibilities?
. Changing zoning regulations to allow ‘granny suites’ and laneway development of existing buildings
. Changing zoning regulations to allow ‘manufactured’ homes in more areas
. Changing building standards to allow for more innovative housing
. Establishing a ‘gated’ community of ‘tiny houses’ in a park-like setting
. Establishing more ‘mobile/manufactured’ home parks as in Florida working with manufactured home company
. Can Saugeen Shores begin a manufactured home municiipality Mortgage department to hold mortgages such as that done by Saugeen First Nation
Saugeen First Nation controls its lease-land, why can Saugeen Shores not do the same? Lease land to a home owner.
A recent company purchased the ‘tourism trailer camp’ at the south end of Port Egin with a view to developing a manufactured home community – the Village. Why could the Town of Saugeen Shores not do this same thing? Why rely on or allow an out-of-province company to do this?
There are imaginative ways to solving the housing situation that is now rampant not only in Saugeen Shores but throughout Ontario.
“The Committee has been looking at housing needs for more than a year to collect stories and facts and to put faces to the statistics to help the issue become more real,” said Councilor Cheryl Grace.
Mike Myatt said that this report cannot be one that simply sits on a shelf. “I like to believe that we have full support of Town Council.”
At Saugeen Shores Council meeting on April 12th, Vice-deputy Mayor Mike Myatt and Housing Committee Chair announced that the committee has approximately 25 recommendations that will be coming forward to Council.
Any more housing ideas?