Over the past several months while we have all been confined to home, many of us have listened to the news on several platforms giving us the news of the day internationally, nationally, and local news. As a member of the London Affordable Housing Foundation, one storyline that I have been following with great interest is the impact the pandemic has had on housing. We know some people who have been able to save and have money to enter a housing market whose prices are rising weekly. However, a story not as readily covered is the impact the pandemic has had on those who have lost jobs, who work for very low wages yet in markets that are identified as essential, and who have lost housing, whose rents are already high, or who are homeless. Solutions seem elusive or seem to take an endless about of time.
However, I am buoyed by the commitment of the not-for-profit housing providers in the city. Six of these groups have come together to lay out a plan for mixed housing on part of the lands of the former Victoria Hospital. The plan is called Vision SoHo Alliance. As it takes shape, the plan will include over 350 affordable units (i.e. below-market rents for that area). We were called together by the London Community Foundation to consider how we could collaborate to address the critical housing need in London. Click here to listen to a podcast discussion by Sylvia Harris and Greg Playford describes our plan and our hope to make a difference:
https://www.lcf.on.ca/whatlondoncanbe/2021/3/22/episode-3-sylvia-harris-amp-greg-playford
The podcast is longer than a few minutes, but it is worth the listen. Join us in supporting this unique and collaborative effort, unique in Canada.
Joan Atkinson, London Affordable Housing Foundation - Part of Vision SoHo.
Concept art for the proposed development on the vacant Old Victoria Hospital lands.
