Transitional housing now available to North Durham residents
Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A new supportive housing facility that will help people experiencing homelessness or those at risk of becoming homeless, has opened in Beaverton.
Regional councillor Bruce Garrod told council during Monday’s pre-council meeting announcements that the Region's new 47-unit modular housing development, called the Beaverton Transitional Supportive Housing residence, has already introduced its first 10 occupants. Garrod noted at least one of those occupants is from Uxbridge.
The development is intended mainly for North Durham residents at risk, such as women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, people experiencing mental health and addiction issues, veterans, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, racialized groups, and recent immigrants or refugees. Other regional residents can be housed when needed. Garrod said people housed in the facility can stay for up to four years, after which time they should have resolved their issues and be ready to reintegrate.
On a related note, Garrod said Kindred Works, an arm of the United Church, is expected to begin construction of its housing project in Uxbridge in Spring 2025. Two buildings on Main Street North, which sit on the west side of the property owned by the church, will be demolished before the end of this year, he said. With Durham Region funding helping, 25 per cent of the units will be deemed "affordable" while all other units will be listed at market price. All units will be rentals. Garrod also noted that all units will have low monthly utility bills to help make them more affordable for those who live there.
UPDATE: NOVEMBER 7, 2024 - In the Oct. 31, edition of the Cosmos, in a story entitled “Transitional housing now available to North Durham residents,” the Cosmos referred to Kindred Works as being an arm of the United Church.
Kindred Works is, in fact, an independent company that builds and manages buildings for a number of landowners, one of whom is the United Church of Canada. It is not an arm of the United Church.
The Cosmos apologizes for the error and any confusion it may have caused.
In the same article, regional councillor Bruce Garrod is mentioned as noting that the low income units will have low monthly utility bills. Kindred Works points out that reduced operating costs are as a result of low-carbon design, rather than a subsidy.