Nearly $20 million in federal funding will be put in place to create an estimated 61 affordable homes in Windsor-Essex County, through the Rapid Housing Initiative.
The housing units, will be split into three projects located on 310 Sherk Street in Leamington, 462 Crawford Street in Windsor and 3351 Bloomfield in Windsor, supporting residents who are in uncertain housing situations or at risk of homelessness.
On Thursday March 17, the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Ahmed Hussen, was in Windsor to make the announcement.
Hussen says this will help a wide variety of people in need including women and children fleeing gender based violence, those at risk of homelessness and people with disabilities.
"They will have access to transitional housing, wrap around supports, financial assistance, employment services and the skills necessary to start a new life."
Hussen says this opens up new opportunities for children living in these homes.
"Young children growing in these homes will have new dreams, they will have closer opportunities to be a teacher, doctor, a mechanic or anything that they dream to be. For those families they will have that extra bit of support to land and stable their feet."
Hussen says the Rapid Housing Initiative was initially put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The first round of the Rapid Housing Initiative, we funded in 2020 and those houses are inhabited by people now and I have no doubt that second round will be the same. Its a part of our national housing strategy, a 10 year plan to ensure we strengthen the middle class."
The three housing projects are expected to finish by the end of 2022.
Two additional housing projects in Caldwell First Nation are also expected to be complete by summer of 2022.