Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Dianne Saxe announced a new affordable rental housing development for the Kensington Market neighbourhood, as well as community housing provider partnerships for the Kensington Market development and another development in Parkdale. These projects are being delivered under the city’s public developer delivery model and are part of a city-wide effort to provide affordable and supportive homes.
The building at 35 Bellevue Ave. in Kensington Market will include 78 new homes, consisting of private studio and one-bedroom apartments, featuring kitchenettes, bathrooms, and amenity spaces.
The Kensington Market Community Land Trust (KMCLT) and St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society (St. Clare’s) will act as the housing providers for this building, so they’ll lease and operate the project once it is completed. The city’s website notes that KMCLT owns and operates affordable housing locally and the St. Clare’s Society has managed supportive and affordable housing across the city, including in the Kensington Market area, for more than two decades.
These new homes will be geared toward people experiencing homelessness (or who are at risk of homelessness) and will be offered as rent-geared-to-income homes, so tenants won’t pay more than 30 per cent of their income/shelter allowance from their social assistance on rent.
“With the development of 35 Bellevue Ave., I am pleased to see more affordable, supportive and sustainable rental housing come to the University-Rosedale ward. It is even more encouraging to know that once completed, the property will be operated by KMCLT and St. Clare’s, who have built strong social capital within the local community to ensure the success of this City-delivered housing endeavour,” Saxe said in a statement. “I congratulate them, as well as PARC, on being selected as the City’s partners in these important projects.”
The development at 11 Brock Ave. will provide approximately 42 new rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes for people experiencing homelessness (or are at risk of homelessness). The Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre (PARC) will be the community housing provider for this development — they operate supportive homes in Toronto for adults experiencing mental health and substance use challenges, many with a history of homelessness.
“Toronto is facing a serious housing affordability crisis that is growing at an alarming rate. Projects such as 11 Brock Ave. and 35 Bellevue Ave. are critical to fill the gap in bringing affordable and supportive rental housing to residents in the quickest way possible,” Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement. “I’m pleased to recognize KMLCT, St. Clare’s and PARC, who have been chosen to partner with the City on these projects on the back of their many years of partnership and support in the communities they operate in.”y
Construction on both sites is expected to begin by the end of the year, with residents moving into their new homes by the end of next year.
The housing developments couldn’t have come at a better time. A recent survey showed that more than 50% of Torontonians are eyeing other Canadian cities for cheaper housing.
