The County of Essex and City of Windsor are developing a Regional Affordable Housing Strategy in consultation with local municipalities.
SHS Consulting has been hired to assist and, as a first step, conducted a survey of Essex County and Windsor residents to provide us with a better understanding of housing needs and challenges. The deadline for completing the survey was Sept. 9, 2024. Thank you to all who participated in the survey.
By participating in the survey, you are helping us understand what kinds of housing people in Essex County and Windsor need, what problems they face finding quality housing that they can afford and what they want for the future. This information will assist in improving housing for everyone in the region.
Why and How a Regional Affordable Housing Strategy is being Developed
August 2024
Dear Residents,
We are pleased to announce that the City of Windsor and the County of Essex are working collaboratively to develop a Regional Affordable Housing Strategy and Implementation Plan, to both proactively address the shortage of affordable housing in our Region, as well as to ensure our compliance with the requirements of the Housing Services Act, 2011, and the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, and the associated Regulations.
This Regional Affordable Housing Strategy will include an action plan which will identify and outline the priorities necessary for the City of Windsor and each local municipality in the County of Essex to meet their specific social and affordable housing needs.
Additionally, it will assist in the development of housing solutions across the housing continuum, while incorporating funding responsibilities and considerations for the planning and/or development of housing.
SHS Consulting Inc., has been retained to work with the City of Windsor and the County of Essex, to develop our Regional Affordable Housing Strategy and associated action plan.
We anticipate that the plan will involve our Region working together to engage in partnerships with private and non-profit sector housing providers, community groups, and senior levels of government to investigate and advance options for the ownership, operation, and development of affordable and attainable housing.
Both of our Councils recognize that there is a housing crisis, with too many people being priced out of the housing and rental market within the Windsor-Essex County Region.
We are confident that our respective municipal governments, with the help of our professional consultant, will come up with solutions that will result in more affordable and attainable housing options in all of our communities and neighbourhoods, with a particular focus on those households that have the greatest housing needs. As part of the development of the strategy and plan, we will be honing in on how our Region can build housing quicker and in a more cost-effective manner than is currently the case.
There is a multi-phased consultation process being followed to ensure that our Regional Housing Strategy is as robust as possible. As part of the multi-phased approach, we want to ensure that people and organization from all the communities in our Region provide input. That means that participation on your part is essential. To help you participate, we want you to have a full understanding of the work that is being done. To that end, in addition to the information found in this letter, please take a moment to review the further information related to the development of our Regional Affordable Housing Strategy which can be found in the Windsor-Essex Regional Affordable Housing Strategy - Resident Survey (which is available until Sept. 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.)
We strongly encourage you to take a few moments and participate in the consultations by providing your story, comments, recommendations, and suggestions as we complete this vitally important work. We thank you in advance for your time and input.
Sincerely,
David Sundin
Interim Director, Legislative and Community Services
County of Essex
Andrew Daher
Commissioner
Human and Health Services
City of Windsor
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