SUDBURY – Affordable housing is proving to be a real problem in Sudbury.
Whether for renovations or the building is being closed, roughly 80 low-income units have been lost in the city in recent weeks.
A recently evicted tenant from a low-income apartment named Ryan says he was "instantly angry because what to do… it took me long enough to find this place and cheap enough."
"We're at a level where we're losing affordable housing rather than growing affordable housing… the city's plans take years and years to confirm and develop based on the planned funding they get from various sources," said Raymond Landry, Homeless Network.
Landry has been the point person at Sudbury's Homeless Network for a few years now. He says it's taking his team almost three months to place people, compared to last year when the average wait to find housing was about 45 days.
He says they'd like to see more low-income housing and rent-to-income housing as soon as it can be built.
Local leaders agree, saying that Sudbury needs more support systems in place.
"We need to look at what we can do to find substantial change to realize the change that we need to actually support all of our citizens here in Greater Sudbury," said Geoff McCausland, Sudbury City Councillor.
Sudbury MPP Jamie West commented that he's sure the public has seen "someone holding a sign or saw somebody that's built a shanty in the bushes or something, a place to live, and thought… we need to do something."
West adds he'd like to see a provincial strategy in place in which more low-income or rent-to-income housing is built to ensure everyone is successful.
While those involved are pleased with the recent addition of an off-the-street shelter, everyone agrees more needs to be done.
Landry adds if people's incomes can't be raised, rent supplements would go a long way towards helping Sudbury's affordable housing problem.
