Photo provided by United Way Perth-Huron
United Way Perth-Huron is taking a giant leap to address housing scarcity across Perth-Huron with the launch of their United Housing initiative.
The announcement on National Housing Day (November 22), marked the culmination of a year-and-a-half of meticulous planning and dedicated efforts behind the scenes.
Ryan Erb, Executive Director of United Way Perth-Huron, emphasized the unique gap the organization seeks to fill. “There isn’t a non-profit organization in Perth-Huron dedicated to developing, building, and managing mixed-use rental housing,” Erb stated.
He highlighted the diverse range of individuals affected by the housing crisis, including those experiencing homelessness, individuals fleeing violent home situations, personal support workers facing housing challenges, and seniors forced to leave their homes due to affordability issues.
With a fundraising goal of $543,000, Mitchell Rhodes, the director of United Housing, expressed optimism about the project’s impact. “We want to build something special in our region. We know it will take time and effort for our community to solve homelessness, but we’re going to continue reaching out to partners and supporters to build a made-in-Perth-Huron solution that fits local needs.”
United Housing’s multifaceted approach includes acting as a non-profit developer and operator of mixed rental supply.
Additionally, the initiative plans to collaborate with current landlords, renovate and operate units to prevent buildings from sitting unused, partner with developers to meet government requirements for affordable housing units, and create workforce housing to enable people to afford living in the communities where they work. Affordable housing, in this context, is defined as costing no more than 30 percent of an individual or family’s income each month.
Written by: B. Shakyaver