Shared Ground to assist with affordable housing proposals

Charleswood

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/12/2024 (600 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new initiative will help develop more affordable housing on existing social-purpose infrastructure in Winnipeg. Called Shared Ground, it is designed to help charities, non-profits, co-operatives or social enterprises with land or buildings ready for transformation.

Shared Ground looks to provide social-purpose organizations with the knowledge and tools they need to determine if their land and buildings can support an affordable housing development. The initiative includes a team of architects who will prepare schematic drawings and act as liaisons with planning officials.

“Most social-purpose organizations don’t have the knowledge or tools to develop proposals for affordable housing,” said Shannon Wiebe with 5468796 Architecture, a Winnipeg firm which specializes in design for affordable housing projects. Wiebe, the lead researcher for Shared Ground, said she applied for the grant to help fund the project which is supported in part by the federal government. The research itself is led by 5468796 Architecture, in partnership with Scatliff + Miller + Murray and Relèven.

“Social-purpose organizations are competing against the private market,” Wiebe pointed out, adding that Shared Ground can “bridge the gap by helping to develop proposals to access funding.”

The role of Shared Ground is to build a local network of potential partners to support proposals and guide organizations through the steps to develop their vision for affordable housing projects. The first step in the process is to identify existing resources within your organization and community. This could be vacant land, adaptive reuse or converting existing housing. The next is to determine if your site has existing buildings that can be repurposed for housing or other supportive uses. Shared Ground can integrate it into future plans, which could include retaining, renovating or converting the structure. Plans would depend on revenue stream, repair needs and code requirements.

Social-purpose organization should seek partnerships that share their goals and provide complementary resources. These could include financial resources, expertise in development or in wraparound care for tenants. Partnerships could include a broad cross -section of service providers such as social service organizations, non -profit and co-op housing. Supportive housing is critical for the project, Wiebe said.

Projects must have a vision and be supported by a strong financial foundation. The mix should include equity-based funding, grants or contribution from governments, and donor/philanthropic organizations.

Community engagement is essential to ensure the project aligns with Shared Ground’s organizational mission and housing needs. Local organizations and services that upport your project can foster collaboration and help integrate your development into the neighbourhood. Once your organization has the right partnerships and resources in place and verified that your land or buildings are prepared for development, it is time to apply for funding. Applications will be evaluated and a waiting list established, Wiebe said. Funding, through the research and knowledge initiative of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, will be in place until March 2026. For more information on how to participate, visit shared-ground.ca