Wait-list for geared-to-income housing still long

Cathy Dobson/Local Journalism Initiative

A bevy of municipal and county staff and politicians gathered at 471 Kathleen Ave. Monday to officially open a new 50-unit affordable housing complex and talk about what comes next to meet the staggering demand in Sarnia-Lambton.

“This is an amazing opportunity to support our tenants and our community.  It’s very much needed,” said Melisa Johnson, Lambton County’s housing services manager.

Tenants pay up to 80 per cent of market value for the new rent-geared-to-income, one-bedroom apartments.  That’s about $990 a month, said Johnson.

Occupants begin moving in Thursday, many from a centralized housing waitlist of 1,100 households where income does not exceed $50,000 a year.

The people moving to the new building are 40 per cent seniors, 30 per cent on Ontario’s Disability Support Program, and 20 per cent on Ontario Works. The other 10 per cent are employed, said Johnson.

Five of the new tenants are currently living in larger social housing units for families, she said.  Once they move to the new building, their old units will be available for larger families on the list.

A competition was held to name 471 Kathleen Ave., which is located on former parkland along a block that is exclusively social housing built in the 1960s and 70s.  About 100 submissions were made with The Orchard chosen as the winning name, said Johnson.

The name reflects growth, community, resilience and a new beginning, she said during the ceremony, which included an apple tree planting and ribbon cutting.

The name also fits nicely with the Tree Street names surrounding Kathleen Avenue, as well as historic records that show fruit trees were in the area.

“This development provides much needed deeply affordable housing and also reflects the county’s commitment to supportive housing,” said Johnson.  County support staff will be at the building regularly to help tenants with any challenges they face.  Additionally, 14 of the units run in conjunction with the March of Dimes, and have accessibility features with wider doors, lower counters and other barrier-free amenities.

Among the speakers at Monday’s opening was outgoing Mayor Mike Bradley performing one of his final duties as representative of the city.

It was Bradley who championed the Kathleen Avenue project at a February 2024 Lambton County council meeting,

At the time, county council had unanimously declared affordable and supportive housing its top priority.  Bradley urged council to set a goal of opening a new complex within 18 months.

With a growing housing shortage and homelessness problem, Sarnia-Lambton needs “a rapid response to what is a crisis,” Bradley said at the time.

Monday, he commended the co-operation of all levels of government for financing the $16.5-million Kathleen Avenue complex, which came in on-budget.

“(But) you can’t give people shelter without giving them support,” he said. “In this community, unfortunately, Indwell has become a negative word, supportive housing has become a negative word. And they’re not.”

Bradley pointed to units operated by March of Dimes and Community Living.  “That’s supportive housing. If you put someone into a new unit and give them a shot at a better life, then give them the supports they need to meet some of the challenges they have in their life.”

Lambton County provides all of Sarnia-Lambton’s social housing and now runs 910 units, according to Johnson.  While the new 50 units are a welcome addition, the waitlist is still “way too high,” she said.

Kathleen Avenue immediately west of Indian Road now has nearly 200 affordable units.

The county will focus next on an affordable housing development on Cathcart Boulevard at the former St. Bartholomew’s Church property in the city’s north end.

Lambton Warden Kevin Marriott emphasized the importance of the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government working together on future developments. 

Zoning is approved for a four-storey, 94-unit affordable building on Cathcart and staff are waiting on funding approval from the upper tiers before the $32.5-million project can move ahead.