A long-anticipated modular housing project in Willowdale is at last under construction, after years of costly delays and local controversy.
The nearly 60 rent-geared-to-income homes at 185 Cummer Ave., which are meant for seniors escaping homelessness or leaving shelters, are expected to be finished by early 2026, with tenants able to move in by spring.
“It’s an important dayÌýbecause, finally, seniors will have a place they can call home,” said Mayor Olivia Chow at the housing site, alongside local Coun. Lily Cheng. “A shelter is basically a roof over your head.ÌýYou can’t cook for yourself. You don’t have your own space. It is hard.”
The three-storey building will house private studios, each with its own kitchen and bathroom. The building will include a shared laundry space, lounge and dining room.
WoodGreen, a large social service agency, will oversee the new homes and their on-site supports, which includeÌýcase managers, social workers, personal support workers and maintenance staff.
After years of delay and controversy, the city started construction on 59 rent-geared-to-income units at 185 Cummer Ave. for seniors and older adults exiting homelessness.
The city across Toronto. While the others got built and tenants have been moving in for the past couple of years, Willowdale’s remained untouched — until a few weeks ago, when construction started.
The location is next to Willowdale Manor, aÌýº£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøCommunity Housing Corp. site, and across the street fromÌýWillowdale Heights, a recently developed residential neighbourhood with multimillion-dollar homes.
These adjacent communities became the centre ofÌýfears and misinformation around what could happen if unhoused individuals moved into the area. Provincial interference and poor community outreach by the city alsoÌýexacerbated delays.
In 2021, local MPP Stan ChoÌýasked the housing minister to not issueÌýthe site’s ministerial zoning order, which bypasses local rules to fast-track development, despite all the other projects getting one.
Then, theÌýCummer plan became a wedge issue in the 2022 municipal election, which Cheng won. During her campaign, she said she wanted a different location or a reduction in the number of tenants, suggesting the area could see significant crime.
A supportive housing development on Cummer Avenue remains unbuilt after more than three years, while a similar project in East York has been
A supportive housing development on Cummer Avenue remains unbuilt after more than three years, while a similar project in East York has been
The units ended up sitting unused in a warehouse or outside for years.
°Õ³ó±ðÌýStar revealed last year the delays escalated the homes’ construction costsÌýby $22 million, bringing the total price to more than $36 million. According to Abi Bond, the city’s departing housing director, the project won’t see another price increase.
According to ,Ìý$861,480 of those costsÌýwere the result of some of the modular units needing to be inspected and refurbished after being stored outside.ÌýIt also cost $4.8 million to store and transport the units while the project dragged on in the zoning approval process.
Construction costs are shared by the city and federal governments. The province pays operating costs. But, the city was on the hook for these additional, delay-related costs.
“I think we’ve landed on the best possible outcome, that it will be older adults who are housed here,” Cheng said Thursday. “Something that is a complement to the campus of services that already exist here.”
When asked why she resisted the project for so long, Cheng saidÌýlocal seniors had “a lot” of concerns.
“They still do. They are quite vulnerable themselves. There is no 24-hour security here,” Cheng continued. She addedÌýthat “news” from implementing other shelter and modular housing sites in the city made local seniors worry about safety, but didn’t offer details.
Workers unloaded one of the 59 modular housing units being built at 185 Cummer Ave. on Thursday.
Mahdis Habibinia/º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar“It is unfortunate there’s been these cost escalations, but building trust is very important with the community,” Cheng said.
According to city spokesperson Christy Abraham, there have been no security incidents over the past couple of years at any of the other modular housing sites at 11 Macey Ave., 321 Dovercourt Rd., 540 Cedarvale Ave. and 39 Dundalk Dr.
“The city is not aware of any specific incidents related to community safety at modular housing developments,” Abraham said, noting the city works with communities and experts to integrate these new tenants within neighbourhoods.
Anne Babcock, president and CEO of WoodGreen, said they will have around-the-clock staffing for on-site health and lifestyle support services.
“Always enough staff on-site to keep everyone inside safe as well as externally,”ÌýBabcock said.
Mark Richardson, a member of volunteer watch group HousingNowTO, was critical Thursday of the lengthy delay for the Cummer project.
“It’s kind of a temple to political and provincial cowardice on affordable housing projects.”
He said it doesn’t matter if governments set housingÌýtargets and create programs if they don’t move quickly enough. “And if you don’t stand up to the folks in the McMansions across the street who are protesting against housing for less fortunate people in their neighbourhoods, then we end up in this situation,” Richardson continued.
He noted if the municipality wants to meet like the Cummer site, “the city would have to build one of these … every week for the next (six) years.”
After years of delay and controversy, the city started construction on 59 rent-geared-to-income units at 185 Cummer Ave. for seniors and older adults exiting homelessness.
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