Building Better Futures: Region of Waterloo seeks development partner for innovative, new affordable housing project

Region of Waterloo launches request-for proposal process for development partner in mixed-income housing project at 1388 Highland Road West, Kitchener 

Waterloo Region – The Region of Waterloo is in search of a development partner for an innovative mixed-income housing project at 1388 Highland Road West in Kitchener. The project is part of the Building Better Futures Initiative, a Regional strategy to accelerate the development of affordable homes across Waterloo Region over a five-year period.

Through the request-for-proposal (RFP) process, The Region of Waterloo is seeking a development partner to take on the design and build of the property, which is located just off Ira Needles Boulevard, with a 10-minute walk to shops, restaurants, schools and daily services. The criteria of the project ensures that housing affordability will be a top priority  – with a minimum target of 30 per cent of the units with rents at or below 80 per cent of the CMHC Median Market Rent (MMR).

The request-for-proposal also outlines the consideration for space within the building that could be leased to a third-party child care provider, as the need for quality child care spaces is great.

“We continue to look at every possible mechanism to create homes for everyone in our community,” said Councillor Jim Erb, Chair of Community and Health Services Committee. “Using Regionally-owned lands to increase the number of affordable homes in our community is an important part of our Building Better Futures strategy.”

1388 Highland Road West is one of four Regionally-owned properties that were declared surplus in 2021, with the intention to accelerate the development of affordable housing across Waterloo Region. Since that time, the Region of Waterloo has completed community profiles for each surplus site, conducted background work to prepare the land for development and established a criteria for development partner selection.

The Request-for-Proposal (RFP) will be open February 7, 2024 to March 22, 2024. A selection committee comprised of Regional staff from across the organization including Planning, Housing and Procurement will evaluate the submissions based on an established evaluation framework.  More information can be found at: https://regionofwaterloo.bidsandtenders.ca.

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