With more than 10,000 Ottawa households waiting for social housing and nearly 3,000 individuals estimated to be experiencing homelessness, the city is dipping into its own coffers to supply city-owned properties as sites for future affordable housing.
At a city council meeting on June 10, councillors agreed to transfer City-owned properties in the Glebe, Orléans, Ottawa South and Vanier to local community organizations to become affordable housing.
It was carried at council without discussion, with only Coun. Theresa Kavanagh dissenting. Councillors Matt Luloff, Laine Johnson and Steve Desroches were absent, so did not vote.
The report from staff recommended that council declare two of the properties surplus – this had already happened for the other properties — and support not-for-profit organizations in planning, designing and developing the sites to better serve the community.
City said the process is intended to “accelerate the development of housing, reduce risks and costs for not-for-profit housing providers, and maximize the provision of new affordable and not-for-profit owned housing on City-owned sites.”
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