Lakeshore's new grant and incentive program to support the building of new accessible, affordable, and missing middle housing.
"We are thrilled to offer the opportunity for grants and rebates to individual residents and developers who are building new housing that meets the needs of our communities," said Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey.
Depending on the type and style of the housing, funds are available as grants, rebates, or forgivable loans. The incentives range from $2,500 to $80,000 in value per unit.
"Lakeshore has seen phenomenal population growth in the last ten years," said Lakeshore Horizons Transformation Lead, Kendra Fry. "To meet the needs of seniors looking to downsize, but remain in the region, and young people looking for a starter home, we need to increase the supply of appropriate housing."
Lakeshore Horizons is a partnership between the Municipality of Lakeshore and the Centre for Cities at the University of Windsor's Faculty of Law.
The funding is offered through Lakeshore's Community Improvement Plan, which offers financial incentives to support property improvements and new home construction. It applies across the entire municipality and is open to residents and large developers. Homeowners can access the funds if they plan to add an additional residential unit on their property.
Lakeshore is also offering pre-approved designs and guidance to help residents lower costs, get through the approval process, and add new housing while increasing the value of their homes.
Larger-scale projects that increase the supply of housing will get a reduction in application and building permit costs for higher-density projects, and for housing projects that include accessible and sustainable design elements.
The funds are available for projects that can be completed within the next two years. Applications are open until March 6, and will be assessed in a competitive pool. Submitters can expect a response within three months.
Last year, Lakeshore received approval for more than $7-million in funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation over four years under the Housing Accelerator Program.
