Affordable housing in Montreal: No new starts in 7 communities

There may bea renewed commitment to affordable housing from both the provincial and federal governments, buta look at social-housing starts over the past five years in key Montreal districts shows it also takes political will at the local level.

• Affordable housing hard to find in 'hot neighbourhoods' like Montreal's Mile End
• Quebec's affordable housing funding loss worries tenants' advocates

After years of no funding at all, federal Social Development Minister Jean-YvesDuclossaid in a recent speech that his government will spend $500 million across the country.

The money will be used to "support new construction and renovation of affordable housing and measures to support housing affordability."

Ottawa's plan comes at the same time the Quebec government has promised to overhaul the way social housing is funded.

Martin Coiteux, Quebec's minister of municipal affairs,says he's frustrated about how inefficient the system is, pointing out there is a big gap between the number of projects promised and what's actually delivered.

"I think the criteria of the program need to be revisited and changed in some cases," said Coiteux.

No new starts

The gaps are geographical, as well.

Social-housing starts on the island of Montreal over the past five years show there are several municipalities and Montreal boroughsthat have no new starts. They are:

• Pointe-Claire.
• Dorval.
• Dollard-des-Ormeaux.
• Westmount.
• Saint-Lonard.
• Saint-Laurent.
• Montral-Est.

Montreal's 5 top boroughs

Contrast that to some Montreal boroughs that have had hundreds of new social-housing starts in recent years.

According to the City of Montreal, the five boroughs with the most new starts over the past five years are:

• Le Sud-Ouest:722 units.
• Ville-Marie: 574 units.
• Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve:507 units.
• Cte-des-NeigesNotre-Dame-de-Grce:463 units.
• RosemontLa Petite-Patrie:303 units.

PlateauMont-Royal: a special case

Despite the high demand for social housinginPlateau-Mont-Royal, in the past five years, just 158 new units have been built.

The Plateau'sborough council is keen to develop more social housing.

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"We have to build the community," said Mile End councillor RichardRyan, who thinks it's importantto preserve a mix of condos and housing for people with less money.

But space is limited, and social housing models such as co-operatives often must compete forland with private developers.

Demand to live in a hot rental market like the Plateau-Mont-Royalcomes with a years' long waiting list.

According to the Atelier D'Habitation Montreal one of four technical resource centres on the island for people exploringsocial-housing optionsthere are more than 2,600 people seekingsocial housing on the Plateau. Thatincludes co-operatives, low-rental housing (HLMs) and rent-subsidized apartments.

A bargain too good to give up

If someone does manage toget their hands on a co-op unit on the Plateau, it can be a real bargain.

The Atelier D'Habitation Montreal says an average, non-subsidized four-and-a-half unit in a Plateau co-op is $760 a month. Keep in mind, that's for less than 800 square feet.

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In principle, co-ops are for people withmodest incomes. The rules state that the suggested income ceiling for a three-person household before taxes is nearly $77,000 annually.

A certain percentage of the units are alsosubsidized, which means someone on social assistance would pay a fixedpercentage of their monthly revenue towardsrent.

However, some people waiting years for a co-op unit complain once someone is in a housing co-op, they're reluctant to leave, even if their income climbs above the ceilingover time. There's no mechanism to force a wealthier co-op member to move on making the waits for those truly in need longer still.

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