LEVY: Toronto's first modular project for homeless nearly done

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Two modular housing projects for the homeless — costing $20.9 million in total and expedited using COVID emergency funds — are nearly done and tenants have started moving into one, city officials have confirmed.

The 11 Macey Ave. project was done in December and so far, 22 tenants occupy one of the 55, 350-square-foot units, said Abi Bond, executive director of the city’s Housing Secretariat.

All the tenants were formerly homeless, she said, noting that they come from the city’s permanent shelter system, temporary respite or hotel shelters, or were sleeping rough and have engaged with the Streets to Homes program.

The 150 Harrison Ave. project — which got off to a slow start — is expected to be done this month, she added.

It will have 44 350-square-foot units.

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Bond said the rent per unit is $918 but tenants will only pay 30% of their income (or of the shelter allowance provided by Ontario Works and ODSP).

The rest, she said, will be subsidized by a variety of city and provincial sources. On-site supports, which are to be funded by provincial sources, will be provided around the clock.

“The supports provided to tenants are intended to ensure they achieve long-term housing stability and prevent a return to homelessness,” she said.

While the city had to “move forward” and found other city and provincial sources of funding for Phase 1 (for the housing subsidies and the on-site support), city officials are seeking $3.6 million annually from the province for 150 new homes planned for 2021, she said.

Bond added that the city has selected a vendor for the new homes as per terms of a request for proposals which closed Nov. 30. But the name can’t be released until the contract is finalized, she said.

The Toronto Sun revealed last October that the sole-sourced contract to Horizon North was 2.5 times higher than could have been achieved had it been put out to tender.

The 350-square-foot units are costing $600 per square foot or $209,000 each per unit.

SLevy@postmedia.com