More buildings razed for Hamilton LRT — but will they be replaced with new affordable housing?
Demolition of buildings in the way of Hamilton LRT is speeding up - but councillors say the conversation about using some razed land for affordable housing is moving too slowly.
Metrolinx is knocking down another 13 vacant buildings along the Main-King corridor this month - including homes, a former thrift shop, pizza joint and car wash - to make way for a resurrected $3.4-billion, 14-kilometre light-rail transit project. The latest round of demolitions began Wednesday on a former family rental home on King Street East near the CP rail spur.
At least 23 buildings - bought for the original, cancelled LRT project - have already been razed in recent years and negotiations to buy or expropriate up to 30 additional properties should start in the coming weeks," said the transit agency.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger told councillors Wednesday that conversations are happening" with senior levels of government about the city's long-held hope that parts of those properties not needed for LRT construction could later be used for affordable housing.
Planning general manager Jason Thorne added provincial officials are looking at forming a working group" to look at affordable housing opportunities linked to the project, which he suggested could include turning surplus land over to the city and its housing provider or partnering with private developers.
But community advocates and some councillors argued the city needs to lay out its own vision for creating and protecting affordable housing along the 14-kilometre transit route.
The city should lean heavily" on Metrolinx to give first dibs on surplus property to affordable housing partners, argued Karl Andrus of the Hamilton Community Benefits Network, which seeks to ensure the transit project benefits all residents.
Land is being snatched up every single day by developers," he said in a virtual presentation. The city is being remade by them - but for whom?"
Andrus pointed to the public school board's recent decision to sell the former Delta high school to a higher-bidding private developer over charitable housing provider Indwell as an example of the challenges facing non-profit builders on the corridor.
Metrolinx has been emptying buildings along the route - forcing dozens of tenants to relocate - since early 2018. A group of displaced tenants and their supporters have argued the city and province should have created new, affordable units before pushing low-income tenants to seek new homes in the middle of a housing crisis.
Several councillors expressed a desire Wednesday to debate the city's own vision for housing on the corridor.
I don't see where that train on affordable housing is going, or who is managing it," said Stoney Creek councillor Brad Clark, who called past federal and provincial promises on the issue nebulous."
If we want to ensure there is some affordable housing along the route, we should be developing those protocols now," he said.
Coun. Nrinder Nann also called for a strategic conversation" around housing, parkland and other community priorities along the fast-developing transit corridor. What is the role of the municipality in achieving the goals of affordable housing along the LRT corridor?" she asked.
She later introduced a notice of motion, to be debated at a future meeting, that would see city staff develop a strategic land acquisition plan" along the LRT corridor related to community needs like affordable housing and parks.
Matthew Van Dongen is a transportation and environment reporter at for The Spectator. mvandongen@thespec.com