Nearly 60 subsidized modular homes are now open for those in need in Scarborough, as the city continues to combat homelessness.
On Wednesday, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced the opening of 57 new permanent units at 39 Dundalk Drive.
The homes come with 24/7 wraparound care, meaning there will be customized social support services on site.
Similarly, The Modular Bridge Housing community in Peterborough, completed construction this month with all 50 individual units now available for occupancy.
Chow’s announcement came on National Housing Day, which is observed every year on Nov. 22 to recognize the vital work done by housing partners to improve access to safe, adequate and affordable housing for all.
“By creating more affordable housing like the ones here at 39 Dundalk Dr., we are moving towards a fairer society where everyone can have adequate housing. Congratulations to everyone who worked hard for this project and I hope the new residents find great happiness in their new homes,” Chow said in a statement.
Toronto’s modular housing initiative was launched in 2020, since then seven projects and almost 400 units have been completed or are underway using modular construction.
“The City’s modular homes are not considered “tiny homes” – they meet minimum size requirements for a studio apartment, are fully self contained private rental apartments with a kitchenette and bathroom and have security of tenure,” a city spokesperson told Now Toronto in a statement.
Construction at 39 Dundalk Drive began in 2022 and the project will be operated by Homes First Society, a non-profit organization with expertise in providing affordable, stable housing and support services to people who have experienced chronic homelessness, the city confirmed in a news release on Wednesday.
Tenants will pay rent based on their incomes as part of a rent-geared-to-income (RGI) pay structure and will have access to staff in the building who are trained to support those exiting homelessness and in improving their health and well-being.
There will also be common amenities including a laundry room, dining and communal living areas, such as an outdoor patio and garden, administrative offices and a commercial kitchen that will provide on-site meals for residents.
The project is expected to cost approximately $2 million in annual provincial operating funding, according to the city.
Currently, the city shelters close to 11,000 people but “modular construction provides a unique opportunity to respond rapidly to Toronto’s urgent need to create more permanent, deeply affordable homes while reducing pressure on the City’s emergency shelter system,” the news release said.
