Conversations regarding the Housing Accelerator Fund are ongoing in the Town of Tecumseh, with next steps provided for public input.
The Town held a Special Meeting with council on Tuesday evening to discuss Initiative 1 of the project, and what residents can expect moving forward.
The focus of Initiative 1 is to examine the various building types that can be integrated into the homes already existing in the Town, potential opportunities with stakeholders, as well as to gain public feedback.
At the start of this initiative, a Discussion Paper will be put together, which will set the context around housing affordability and housing options. This Paper will be introduced and explained to those who attend the public open house on the HAF later this summer.
The main affordability challenges affecting Tecumseh residents at this time includes a lack of diverse housing choices as over 80 per cent of units are single detached homes, limited rental unit options as only 11.5 per cent of units are rentals, and the high cost of single detached homes within the Town.
Bobby Gauthier, Principal of Urban and Community Planning, Transportation and Infrastructure with WSP who is assisting the Town of Tecumseh, says the main affordability challenge in Tecumseh is a lack of diverse housing choices.
"The vast majority of homes in the community are single detached houses. And of course that may not necessarily meet the needs of most people, some people may not need that much space, or may not be able to maintain that much space, and certainly some people can't afford that kind of space - that in itself is a significant challenge to be looked at."
Gauthier says action needs to be taken to address the housing crisis within the Town.
"And this is where this initiative comes in is to look at how different building types could be integrated both into the existing neighbourhoods, but also into the new greenfield neighbourhoods at the edges of the community. So we'll be looking at different types of housing typologies, and assessing how they could best fit into the community while having consideration for impact."
Gary McNamara, Tecumseh mayor, says the Town needs to adapt as the demographic changes.
"The whole issue is very complex, it's not just about an issue of four-plexes, or the type of four-plexes, it's a whole host of things. It could be six-plexes, it could be condominiums, we've seen the diversity that's started, and they're filling up."
The Discussion Paper will be posted for the public to view by July 31.
Following that, a public open house is planned for August 15 to present the Discussion Paper to Tecumseh residents.
In March 2024, the town was awarded $4.4-million from the federal government's fund to expedite the construction of 137 housing units over the next three years.
The Town has committed to nine initiatives total as part of the funding, which include reducing development fees, reviewing zoning by-laws, and fast-tracking permit applications for medium-density, duplex, and multi-family homes such as townhouses and multiplexes.