Realtor fears influx in demand for affordable housing in Windsor-Essex
A new student residence is slated for the University of Windsor following a record number of student enrollments.
“We are going to be breaking ground a little bit later this spring for a new student residence here on campus,” said president Dr. Robert Gordon who admitted the school has contributed to strain in affordable housing.
“We need to be part of that solution here in the west end of Windsor but also throughout the entire region in terms of making sure there's sustainable affordable housing for all of our students.”
During his annual State of the University Address, Gordon said the school saw a record number of enrolled students last fall (15,950), 1,200 more than before the start of the pandemic.
International students and students from outside Essex County are competing in the same market as locals.
“Students are coming to town and they're paying top dollar for their rent if they can find a place that they're not having to share a room,” said realtor Joe Fallea.
With a vacancy rate of two per cent, Fallea says there is pent-up demand that needs to be satisfied.
“People aren't purchasing fast enough and we're not building fast enough,” he said.
Fallea says he has investors scouring the area for opportunities.
“They're looking at buying places to actually renovate to make them nicer to get those student rentals projects going to fulfil the demand,” he said.
He fears what may happen when the city's Residential Rental Licensing Pilot comes into effect later this year.
“There's gonna be another demand for student rentals because there's going to be a lot of them shut down because they're not legal,” Fallea said.
Ward 2 city councillor Fabio Costante says an effort will be made to ensure students aren’t forced to the curb.
“The first effort will be to try and come up with solutions where we're not disturbing tenant movement and we're not kicking people out on the street,” said Costante.
Under the two-year pilot project owners of rental properties with four or fewer units will need to secure a licence for each unit in Wards 1 and 2.
“We're obviously in a housing crisis at the moment,” said Costante. “But on the other hand, you want to make sure these renters and tenants are living in safe units that adhere to the building code and fire code.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Body of Quebec man who died in Cuba found in Russia, family confirms
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.