Renoviction and the invisible eviction crisis

Ontario has a big problem with evictions. How big? No one knows for sure. While the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is ramping up the assembly-line to pump out evictions, there is no means to measure the depth of the crisis. No government or agency is keeping count. An eviction crisis is occurring behind a …

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The corner of Ottawa and Cannon.
The corner of Ottawa and Cannon facing 180 Ottawa St. N. Photo by Sean Hurley

The hex on 180 Ottawa street is finally over

A boarded-up building with a troubled history at 180 Ottawa St. N. at Cannon is coming to life.  Contractors hired by social housing provider Indwell, are conducting restoration work inside a gutted interior which has experienced fire and water damage.   To Councillor Sam Merulla the Indwell purchase of this property is nothing short of a …

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Sean Hurley

Green’s New Deal

When Hamilton Centre MP David Christopherson announced last July that he would retire at the end of the current parliamentary term,  Matthew Green chose to forego seeking re-election in Ward 3 and to instead seek the federal nomination for the NDP. “As a City Councillor there was only so much I could do to change …

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The YWCA construction site on Ottawa Street North at Dunsmure. -Elizabeth Seidl

How to change the way we build

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The City of Hamilton has recently declared a climate change emergency and to support action to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Phew! I sighed when hearing the news. Finally, our elected representatives are starting to take climate change seriously. But despite this declaration, there are still a lot of questions needing answers as …

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Hamilton City Hall Wins Legal Battle to Charge Full Development Charges Against Laneway Housing

The Owner of Hamilton’s First Laneway House Discovers that City Hall Rhetoric Is Meaningless as City Charges Full Development Charges and Parkland Fees. Full Story: Hamilton City Hall Wins Legal Battle to Charge Full Development Charges Against Laneway Housing

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310frances
310 Frances Avenue in Stoney Creek

Massive Development Planned in Stoney Creek – HamiltonForward

Source: Massive Development Planned in Stoney Creek – HamiltonForward HamiltonForward has learned of a huge new development planned in Stoney Creek after new applications were published to the City of Hamilton’s online Development Mapping service.The City has received both a Development Application (no. DA-19-020) and Site Plan Application (no. SPA-19-020) for the lands at 310 …

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Learning about cohousing

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You may not yet know about cohousing but there are many good reasons to learn more. Cohousing combines the autonomy of private dwellings with the advantages of shared resources and community living. It is also a way of living that supports social interaction and sustainability. Legally structured as a condominium, cohousing projects offer not only …

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Rendering of YWCA on Ottawa Street

Sneak peek of the new Ottawa Street YWCA! | YWCA Hamilton

In short, the function and design of Ottawa Street YWCA is informed by the needs of the community. When you said you wanted more community space in the neighbourhood, we incorporated two new community spaces into the design of our new building – one indoors, one outdoors. When you said you wanted a building that …

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Photo of eviction

Evicting the Homeless – Hamiltontenants | Blog

Tent cities and other communities of homeless people are springing up across Hamilton. This comes at a time when rents are skyrocketing, vacancy rates are plummeting, and shelters are operating above capacity. What other options do people have? Even when shelters do have beds available, many people don’t feel comfortable staying in them. Particularly when overcrowded, shelters can be scary places. Many people have experienced trauma in the shelter system, including being robbed or assaulted in the past. Others find shelters inaccessible because they aren’t allowed to bring pets with them or because substance use is not permitted. So people choose to create their own shelters and communities as a means of survival. Source: Hamiltontenants | Blog

Livable Lanes: Laneway Housing in Hamilton

  I have been presenting the idea of laneway housing to our city’s planning department since 2008, and finally this housing typology has become legal: a pilot zoning for Wards 1-4 was approved by Council in September 2018. This article explores how the new pilot zoning can help improve housing options in our city. Source: Livable …

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