Habitat for Humanity project to bring more than 1,000 affordable housing units to Waterloo
City declares property at 2025 University Ave. E. as surplus to make way for project
A new project being led by Habitat for Humanity will bring more than 1,000 affordable housing units to the City of Waterloo, according to the non-profit organization.
The project, planned for 2025 University Ave. E., falls under Waterloo region's BUILD NOW initiative, which was launched in 2023.
Philip Mills, CEO of Habitat Waterloo Region, said the project will see 1,010 affordable and attainable housing units being built, part of the organization's larger goal to bring 10,000 new homes to Waterloo region.
"A project like ours creates the opportunity to build the type of housing that we hope people want that isn't built by the market, and meets the needs of a particular cohort that doesn't have a lot of options right now," Mills said on CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition.
He said they plan to build mid-rise and stacked-type products, adding that the goal is to make it "a whole community," not just a couple of buildings dropped in on each other.
"This is supposed to be a neighborhood and the idea is that that needs to work for everybody," Mills said.
"So, we're looking for one and two-bedroom units, but also three and four-bedroom units because that stuff doesn't really exist these days, so we're trying to make sure that it does."
In August, the city invited non-profit organizations and consortiums led by a non-profit organization to provide expressions of interest for the project.
At a meeting Monday night, Waterloo councillors voted to declare the land — approximately the size of 14 soccer fields — surplus, and to identify Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, along with BUILD NOW: Waterloo region, as the preferred proponent to develop the property.
Speaking during the council meeting, Mayor Dorothy McCabe said access to supportive, deeply affordable attainable housing is one of the most pressing challenges facing the community.
"Everyone needs a safe place to call home and a place to live and this is a key part of attracting people, bringing them to Waterloo and keeping them in Waterloo," McCabe said.
Additionally, she said the project advances the City of Waterloo Affordable Housing Strategy to increase the supply and mix of affordable housing, and the city's commitment to its provincial housing pledge of 16,000 units by 2031.
"I'm really proud that Waterloo is doing its part to meet our shared goal of building more homes faster," McCabe said.
'It is a crisis': UW professor
Mark Seasons, director, School of Planning at University of Waterloo, who also addressed the council meeting, welcomed the decision, pointing to the many challenges concerning affordability, especially in the housing realm.
"It is a crisis," Seasons said.
"The crucial thing in this whole challenge, I think, is to secure the land and the rest tends to fall into place once you have the land under control and that's why it's so encouraging to see this … freeing up of surplus public lands for a worthy purpose, such as affordable and attainable housing."
Meanwhile, Mills said the project is a great example of the community working together.
"If anybody's heard me say anything about housing over the past number of years, you've heard me say that the only way to fix this is together, and I think this is a great example of that," he said.
The city says next steps include continuing to work with the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to secure a decision on the city's request for an MZO before the end of 2024.
Mills did not provide a timeline for the project but said he's "hopeful that we can announce something exciting in the coming months."
LISTEN | CEO of Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region Phillip Mills:
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With files from The Morning Edition