Vacant Kitchener lot to become affordable housing after city donates land to Habitat for Humanity

CBC
·2 min read
Kitchener has donated almost one hectare of land to Habitat for Humanity as part of the non-profit's Build Now: Waterloo Region initiative. The donated land can be seen behind local politicians. (Carmen Groleau/CBC - image credit)
Kitchener has donated almost one hectare of land to Habitat for Humanity as part of the non-profit's Build Now: Waterloo Region initiative. The donated land can be seen behind local politicians. (Carmen Groleau/CBC - image credit)

The City of Kitchener has donated a parcel of land worth $5.5 million to Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing.

The announcement is part of Habitat for Humanity's Build Now: Waterloo Region initiative to construct 10,000 affordable and attainable homes by 2030.

"Habitat will be using this land for purpose built affordable housing that will include much needed three and four bedroom units for larger families, as well as some smaller studio one and two bedroom units," Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said during an announcement Thursday at the site of the future housing development.

The land at River Road East and Ottawa Street North is almost one hectare in size. It's near a Kitchener fire hall and across the street from the Stanley Park Mall plaza.

Vrbanovic said the city always had plans to use the land. It was originally going to be used for a library or a community centre.

Philip Mills, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, said the project "is the beginning of something special."

"This is the beginning of something that I belive and the team at Habitat and the partners with Build Now truly believe will be transformative for the community," he said. "This is what it takes to fix housing."

Philip Mills is the CEO of Habitat for Humanity. He says the donated land from the City of Kitchener is the beginning the the not-for-profit's goal to build 10,000 affordable and attainable homes by 2030.
Philip Mills is the CEO of Habitat for Humanity. He says the donated land from the City of Kitchener is the beginning the the not-for-profit's goal to build 10,000 affordable and attainable homes by 2030.

Philip Mills, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, says the donated land from the City of Kitchener is the beginning the the non-profit's goal to build 10,000 affordable and attainable homes by 2030. (Carmen Groleau/CBC)

Construction expected to start in 2025

Construction for the housing project is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2025, Mills said. Construction could take 18 months to two years and families could start to move in as early as late 2026.

Vrbanovic said the number of total units is still not finalized, but it will be more than 60.

Vrbanovic added council will finalize the approval of the land donation on Monday during a meeting and will use some of the $42 million the city received from the federal government's housing accelerator fund toward site preparation costs.

"The site will also be eligible for [development charges] exemptions. The city ones will be in the range of $800,000 as well as exemptions from site plan and building permit fees," he said.

Mills said the donation of the land from the city means those costs won't be passed down to the buyer. He added the homes, once built, will be for ownership and sold at half the market price.

He said future projects will be a mix of just rentals or ownership or both.