_20150601_040148Construction is underway on a housing development in North Bay that includes affordable housing units.

Work started recently on the project at the corner of Lakeshore Drive and Marshall Avenue.

Chair of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board Mark King says it’s good news.

The entire project involves 29 units, with 19 to be affordable housing units.

King says it’s been identified that there is a big need in the area for geared to income housing.

In fact, the latest stats from the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association shows there were 1,185 households waiting for rent geared to income housing in Nipissing at the end of 2014.

That’s over 100 more than the year before and it’s also the highest number in the 12 years the stats have been tabled.

A city staff report presented to council back in March says there are plenty of benefits to the project including an increase in the City’s assessment and tax base, the creation of short-term and long-term jobs, additional affordable housing units, along with a decrease in the waiting list and it supports DNSSAB’s objective to increase affordable housing supply.

On the web: http://www.onpha.on.ca/onpha/Content/PolicyAndResearch/Waiting_Lists_2015/Full_Report.aspx

Affordable housing construction Lakeshore and Marshall2