KAWARTHA LAKES-The City of Kawartha Lakes is developing a new 10 year Housing and Homelessness Plan beginning in 2019. The Plan establishes priorities for housing and homelessness services based on targeted consultations and research according to the City.
Provincial legislation has established the City responsible for the administration of housing and homelessness programs and services for both the City of Kawartha Lakes and the County of Haliburton. The province requires the City as the designated Service Manager to develop a 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan (“the Plan”).
The Plan enables the municipality to:
- Create a long-term community vision, shared goals, agreed upon priorities and strategies for a continuum of housing and homelessness services;
- Improve access to adequate, suitable and affordable housing;
- Coordinate and integrate housing and homelessness services to assist families and individuals;
- Assist in determination of housing and homelessness funding including but not limited to priorities and processes
- Prepare for future senior government funding and partnership opportunities; and
- Make recommendations on process and structure of service delivery within the Corporation and with the City’s delivery partners.
The review and update will result in a new 10-year plan (2019-2029) with a detailed action plan for the first five years (July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2024) and a forecasted plan for the last five years (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029). This approach, with the addition of the forecasted plan for 2024 to 2029, embeds continued long-term planning in the Plan. The review and update is being led by a coordinating committee of Cityand County staff.
Community input for the review and update of the Plan will come from consultations with the public through a variety of different ways. The City and County are asking the public to assist in the review by completing the Housing and Homelessness Plan Survey. The survey is available on the website until the end of February 2019.
A 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan (2014-2023) was approved by Council as the Service Manager for the City and County in 2014 with implementation beginning in February of 2014. According to the City the vision of The Plan is that everyone has a safe and secure home.
Housing, both ownership and rental, are said to be affordable if the accommodation costs or rent does not exceed 30% of gross annual household income for low or moderate income households. Low or moderate income households have incomes falling at or below the 60th income percentile. Currently, based on the most recent census data, that includes renter households with incomes at or below $39,900 and ownership households with incomes at or below $87,500. Affordable housing thresholds are reviewed annually at the end of each calendar year. Currently, for both the City and County, the affordable housing threshold for ownership was $321,314 and monthly rent was $987.
Visit the 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan webpage for information on the current plan, the review process and to participate in the survey. If you have any questions, please email hhpcommittee@kawarthalakes.ca.
