National Housing Day marked by celebration and a call for more partners to help create affordable homes for all
Waterloo Region – Today the community marked National Housing Day with a celebration of successes and a call for more partners to get involved in creating affordable homes for all.
“National Housing Day is an occasion to pause and reflect on the challenges faced by many individuals and families in securing a safe and affordable place to call home,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “It is also an occasion to celebrate our achievements and the inroads being made on a daily basis.”
Achievements from 2019 that were shared during today’s celebrations include:
- 92 new affordable housing units under construction and another 61 in development.
- Approval of a plan to create 638 affordable units in Waterloo Region Housing over the next decade.
- Since last National Housing Day, 267 households (403 individuals) who had been homeless for at least six months found housing through PATHS2HOME.
“The Region and our partners are doing great work with existing resources,” said Ryan Pettipiere, Director of Housing Services. “But housing affordability and availability is a growing challenge. Next year we hope to see non-traditional stakeholders here, as we move toward forming an innovation table to help identify new ways to create affordable housing.”
This past year saw calls for more landlords to get involved by renting their units to people who need affordable housing. Wendy is a landlord involved in PATHS2HOME, a program run by Lutherwood and funded by the Region. “Not only has Lutherwood provided me with long term tenants,” she said. “I have an opportunity to make a difference in my community.”
For an interview, please contact:
Sherry Morley, Communications Coordinator
Community Services, Region of Waterloo
Cell: 226-750-6972
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