A new affordable housing development is in the works for St. Thomas, and it’s unlike anything the community has done before.
Before the start of the pandemic, well-known home builder Doug Tarry approached the Board of Directors at the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin and expressed interest in bringing more affordable housing to the area.
Together with their third partner Sanctuary Homes, the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin and Doug Tarry Homes came together to create Project Tiny Hope, an innovative housing model intended to serve low-income individuals and families in the community.
Now, Executive Director of YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin Lindsay Rice says a “fundraising blitz” will continue until the end of the month as the partner organizations seek more than $14 million for the project.
An application for federal funds will be submitted through the Rapid Housing Initiative. If this source of funding is secured, the City of St. Thomas has committed $3-million to the project. Other donors have already contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cause.
Project Tiny Hope plans to bring 40 new “tiny homes” to downtown St. Thomas. The site for the project is secured at 21 Kains Street. A 2.2 acre lot has already been purchased and remediated for the new housing development.
The rental units will range from one to three bedrooms and will be sized around 400 square feet. Each home will have at least one private bedroom, a living room, full kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.
The residences are built to net-zero ready standards, which means they are energy efficient, affordable to operate, and great for the environment, according to Rice.
Of the 40 homes, eight will be fully accessible and four will be rented directly to Community Living Elgin, which provides housing and other services for people with developmental disabilities.
In Rice’s words, the price of rent will be “deeply affordable.” She says the monthly cost is set to match rental rates for the Ontario Disability Support Program. As of right now, rent for a one-bedroom unit will be $522 a month, $821 for a two-bedroom, and $889 for a three-bedroom.
Aside from offering rental units, the vision for Project Tiny Hope is to create a tight-knit community with shared spaces including outdoor courts, raised fruit and vegetable gardens, a collective learning kitchen, and other gathering spaces for neighbours to bond with one another. The YWCA will also offer counselling and other social services at the site.
“It’s not just the bricks and mortar that we’re building,” Rice said. “The YWCA is really invested in housing-based case management and intensive supports that lead to housing stabilization and economic security.”
All rentals will be owned and operated by YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin, which has been providing housing since 1928. Rice confirmed that the organization will work with St. Thomas and plans to use the city’s centralized housing wait list to find renters.
To ensure inclusivity, 50 per cent of the units will be reserved for women and women-led families, 10 per cent for Indigenous people, and 25 per cent for youth aged 16-24.
If all goes according to plan, Rice says all 40 homes could be built and occupied by December 2024.
“We’re seeing a really great response from entrusted donors. People want to be part of this lasting legacy. Building 40 tiny homes in a community – that opportunity doesn’t come around that often,” said Rice. “It’s going to be here long after the rest of us are, and it’s going to have the opportunity to impact so many individuals and families.”
Donations can be made online for those interested in supporting Project Tiny Hope.
