Affordable Housing

Affordable housing actions

Identifying and delivering on affordable housing solutions is a priority for this term of Council. To date, the Town has taken the following actions to support the provision of affordable housing:

1. Increasing permissions, access and awareness for two-unit house creation
2. Waiving, reducing and deferring Town fees and charges for the development of affordable housing
3. Forming an Affordable Housing Working Group to develop and recommend actions that address the Town’s affordable  housing needs
4. Building relationships with public, private and non-profit sector partners to identify and partner on affordable housing opportunities
5. Assessing and advancing Town-owned properties to facilitate the provision of additional affordable housing
6. Incorporating affordable housing as a focus area in the update of the Town’s Community Improvement Plan

Important links

• State of Housing - 2020 Report
• Affordable Housing Working Group TPW-2019-0031
• Affordable Housing TPW-2019-0016
• Accessory Dwelling Units in Halton Hills

To request a copy of any documents above, please email Nicole Pal, Economic Development and Special Projects Coordinator.

About two-unit houses

In the Town of Halton Hills, a Two-Unit house is a house on one lot containing two dwelling units. 

Create an accessory dwelling unit and register a new two-unit house

A building permit is required for the creation of a new accessory dwelling unit within an existing house.

Registration of a new two-unit house has now been included in the building permit application process (with a much reduced registration fee). 

For detailed information on this process the Creation of Accessory Dwelling Units & Registration of Two-Unit Houses Guide is available on the Town’s website.

Application forms are available online and may be completed by the property’s registered owner or a person authorized by the owner.

For more information please contact the Building Permit Intake Analyst at 905-873-2600, ext. 2324.
Further information on accessory dwelling by-laws is available on our website.

Proposed Development

17 Guelph Street is envisioned as a mixed-income rental housing development in the heart of Georgetown. Within walking distance to transit and daily amenities, the site is a supportive location for households of various needs. The proposed development will contain up to 14 units and aims to integrate a mix of affordable and assisted housing, targeting the Town’s critical deficiencies along the housing continuum.

Next Steps

The Town and Region have issued a public call to engage third-party affordable housing providers who are interested in the opportunity to design, build, operate and maintain the proposed development at 17 Guelph Street.

Learn more and apply for this opportunity

Town staff are undertaking pre-development work to facilitate a timely construction start. These activities include basic land-use planning approvals, environmental work, and demolition.

Frequently asked questions

1. Who owns the Exchange Hotel property?

   • The property was owned privately until 2013 when it was purchased by Habitat for Humanity with assistance from Mattamy Homes with the concept to re purpose the Exchange Hotel into two affordable housing rental units. The agreement with the Town is that the units would retain the look/feel of the original heritage building.

2. Why has the Town partnered with Habitat for Humanity?

   • The partnership was a natural fit given that both organizations have shared interests. The Town is committed to building its supply of diverse and affordable housing to serve the needs of the community. Habitat for Humanity Canada is "…a national, charitable organization working toward a world where everyone has a decent and affordable place to call home." (Extract from Habitat for Humanity Canada)

3. How does the Exchange Hotel project fit into the Town’s direction on increasing the supply of affordable housing?

   • The issue of affordable housing is complex, impacted by legislation and policies at all levels of government and requires a collaborative and multi-faceted approach. To date, the Town’s actions to support the development of affordable housing include:

     • Deferring or waiving planning fees and development charges for specific projects

     • Embedding new policies in the Secondary Plan for Vision Georgetown

     • Conducting studies to identify opportunities for additional residential development in existing communities

     • Implementing zoning by-law changes to increase flexibility regarding accessory units

     • Creating an Affordable Housing Working Group

     • To learn more, read report: TPW 2019-0016.

4. What is the Town’s investment/contribution to the Exchange Hotel project?

   • The Town has agreed to waive the permit and development fees for the project to an upset limit of $250,000.

5. Going forward, what is the Town’s role with the Exchange Hotel project?

   • Just as with any development, the Town is the approval authority for planning applications. Other than the financial contribution, the Town has no responsibility for the project outside of planning approval.

6. How is the history of the Exchange Hotel being respected?

   • The Town recognizes and respects the importance of preserving heritage elements and architecture and made this a condition for supporting Habitat’s development of the property. Habitat has agreed to contribute up to $150,000 above normal construction costs to replicate heritage features. In addition, Habitat has hired Heritage Specialists who will assist with the project, including the careful deconstruction, inventory and cataloguing of the heritage pieces which will be re purposed in the final building.

7. What efforts were made to preserve the building?

   • The Exchange Hotel is well over 100 years old and as with any building of that era, it has structural deficiencies which accumulated over the years. Habitat for Humanity had engaged a contractor to tarp the building but due to safety concerns, this was not carried out. From a municipal perspective, safety is the first priority and the Town is responsible for ensuring adherence to fire and building code regulations as well as upholding property

     standards under the community standards by-law.

8. What are the next steps and timeline for development of the Exchange Hotel?

   • It is anticipated that a crew (including the Heritage Architect) will be on-site during the fall of 2019 to begin the careful deconstruction of the building. Each piece will be examined to determine its heritage value and potential re-use. Pieces will be catalogued and safely stored until the time of construction which may begin in spring of 2020.

9. What is the time frame for the four town-homes that are proposed for the site?

   • Plans have been submitted for the proposed townhouses and the formal planning process is in progress and expected to be completed within the next six to eight months. Public participation is ongoing throughout the approval process. The estimated time for construction will be available upon completion of the planning process.

10. Who can I contact at the Town if I have questions about this project?

    • Please contact Ruth Conard from the Planning and Development department.

11. Where can I find out more about the work of Habitat for Humanity?

    • For more information please read Habitat for Humanity's website, call 905-637-4446, or visit 1800 Appleby Line, Unit 10, Burlington.

Important links

• First deconstruction video (December 2019)
• Habitat for Humanity - 37 King Street Webpage

Halton Access to Community Housing (HATCH)

If you have challenges with finding or maintaining your rental home, Halton Region may be able to help. Assistance may be in the form of rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing, which provides safe rental housing for individuals and families with low incomes or financial assistance where you are currently renting. If you are in need of RGI housing, you can apply to Halton Access to Community Housing (HATCH). To learn more, visit Halton Region’s Assisted Housing Webpage or call 311.

Rent Supplement Program

Halton Region’s Rent Supplement Program creates new affordable housing opportunities by working with private Halton landlords to make units available for low-income households. There are many benefits to participating landlords. To learn more about becoming a participating landlord, visit Halton Region’s Rent Supplement webpage, call 311 or email rentsupplement@halton.ca.

Halton Accessibility Repair Program (HARP)

The Halton Accessibility Repair Program (HARP) provides financial assistance to eligible Halton homeowners for home repairs or accessibility modifications in the form of a combined grant and forgivable loan, up to a maximum of $15,000. For information on eligibility requirements and to apply for this program, call 311 or view the HARP Factsheet.

Housing Stability Fund

 If you are at risk of eviction/homelessness, support is available through the Housing Stability Fund. This fund provides one-time assistance to eligible Halton residents with a goal to help residents gain and retain affordable rental housing in Halton Region. Visit Halton’s Housing Stability Fund webpage or dial 311 for more information.

Halton Housing Help

 If you have challenges finding or maintaining affordable rental housing in Halton Region you can access assistance through Halton Housing Help (HHH). HHH provides support to assist you in finding and accessing affordable rental housing and community support services. To learn more, visit the Halton Housing Help webpage, or call 311.