Time: 11:00 a.m.
Place:
Council Chamber, 5th Floor
Regional Administrative Headquarters
10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A
Brampton, Ontario
Agenda and video:
https://pub-peelregion.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=31a725a0-1d7c-48e7-8c74-a9f775d9c4f8
(Jeff's delegation begins at 28:45)
Good morning all,
My name is Jeff Neven, and I am the CEO of Indwell, a non-profit charity that creates and provides supportive housing. Thank you for the opportunity to address you today.
We last met in July when I delegated here to Council to speak about the Region’s affordable housing report. I shared stories from the tenants that together we have helped house, and affirmed your staff’s recommendations outlining the need for more supportive housing.
That report mentioned 4,100 people using shelters and 577 sleeping rough in parks, ravines, and on the streets here in Peel last year. Staff reported that over 31,000 people required affordable housing with supports, and, yet, together we are providing for just 1% of the need.
I affirmed that Indwell is committed to supporting and carrying out the Region’s affordable housing priorities, and I re-affirm that commitment again today.
Since July, Indwell was fortunate to identify a site that was on the market, has the walkability to amenities and access to transit that our tenants desire, and that met the criteria for zoning and other application requirements of the Rapid Housing Initiative funding program.
On October 19, we purchased 1639 Lakeshore Rd W. in Mississauga with our own funds. Since the site and project met the RHI qualifying criteria established between Peel Region and CMHC — and the federal government was eager to announce affordable housing investments — a public announcement was made three weeks later, with media and local neighbours invited to the site to learn about our plans.
The land use fits the zoning requirements, and therefore requires no public consultation. However, Indwell’s model is community-focused. As such, we began conversations on local supportive housing needs and opportunities in the Clarkson community back in 2013, with successive meetings in the community with various stakeholders and residents over the past decade.
A delegation of our new neighbours, who were at first skeptical, toured our facilities in Hamilton in December 2023 and, after reflection, committed to working together for the benefit of the project and the broader community.
Other community members have gone door-to-door alerting the neighbourhood to Indwell’s project. This immediately resulted in seven direct requests for our housing from the Lorne Park neighbourhood, and prompted dozens of neighbours to reach out offering advice and support — including financial contributions of over $50,000. Eight faith communities in Clarkson also came together to show their support.
Councillor Tedjo hosted a public engagement forum to hear from the community. We’ve been listening to that input, and are responding accordingly. For example, there was encouragement to work with the local women’s shelter, Armagh House, to help women with children stay in their community and their schools. We have since modified our designs to include two-bedroom units for families.
It was also made evident that we needed to clarify who will live in this new multi-residential building and to explain what Indwell’s “Standard Supports” programs look like.
This housing is for folks who are living in poverty due to a permanent disability. Often this could be either a mental health-related disability or a physical or other health condition.
In our sector, we use the term ‘acuity’ to describe the intersection and severity of mental health, substance use disorders, chronic disease/illness, connections to personal and professional supports, or any other complexities that impact an individual’s wellness and housing needs. (Higher acuity = higher “severity”)
This building is intended for people who have low acuity and who want the benefits of access to some on-site staff support.
We expect our Clarkson program to be very similar to our other Standard Support programs; our housing is diverse, and this program will likely have a nearly equal split between men and women, while approximately 5% of tenants identify as gender-nonconforming/transgender/two-spirited/or gender diverse.
We also anticipate that the majority of tenants will be seniors over the age of 55. Yet we will welcome families with children, just as we do in of our Standard Support communities.
The delivery of supportive housing is complex, and stigma about mental illness still exists. So, we are grateful for the many partners who come alongside us to create and sustain Indwell communities.
My commitment to you, as Council, is to continue working with our neighbours and our community partners to ensure a successful and sustainable housing project both now and into the future.
We continue to welcome community participation in how to do this best.
Thank you.
