Cheap rent? Indwell aims to boost affordability of city’s massive Jamesville housing redevelopment
The city-owned property is slated to be transformed into 600-plus apartments and condos with at least 15% reserved for affordable housing units
NEWS 04:52 PM by Matthew Van Dongen The Hamilton Spectator
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9...redevelopment/
Indwell will partner on a heavily-scrutinized redevelopment of city-owned subsidized townhomes in Jamesville.
But the supportive housing agency is vowing to do "much better" than the project's stated affordable housing goal of 15 per cent.
CityHousing Hamilton has been planning for years to sell its 91 aging townhomes near the James Street GO train station for a mixed-income redevelopment featuring hundreds of new condo and rental apartments — with at least 15 per cent reserved for "affordable" housing.
Some housing advocates — including Indwell — urged the city's social housing agency as far back as 2017 to aim for more affordable units given how market rents are skyrocketing in the North End.
Now, Indwell has been revealed as a partner in the consortium approved by the CityHousing Hamilton board Tuesday as the preferred bidder on the project.
Indwell projects director Graham Cubitt said Tuesday he is confident "we can do much better" than the 15 per cent affordable rent target set for the redevelopment.
Cubitt said the exact number and anticipated rent range for the promised "affordable" units must still be set via ongoing confidential negotiations with CityHousing Hamilton and the city planning department.
But he noted in other parts of the city Indwell tries to keep its affordable one-bedroom apartments in the $500-a-month range to meet the needs of Ontario Disability Support Program recipients, for example.
"We are looking at increasing the range of affordable options in this neighbourhood. We want to provide real affordability to people trying to work and live in this community," he said.
Indwell is responsible under the redevelopment partnership for any affordable units on the site other than a 46-unit building that will continue to be owned and operated by CityHousing Hamilton.
Private redevelopment will be handled by Marz Developments and Homes by DeSantis alongside equity partners Fram Building Group Ltd. and Slokker Canada Corp.
More to come.