Sarnia's mayor would prefer to see city council refer the creation of a transitional tiny house community to the Lambton County Social Services Division.
Mike Bradley said the recommendation is one of three up for consideration on Tuesday, after the development of an action plan was endorsed at council's last meeting.
"The city is not in the social service business and has not been since 1991," said Bradley. "Unfortunately, we've been put in that direction because of some circumstances and dealing with the county. The county has been asked numerous times to look at this option and has said no it doesn't fit their plans."
The other options are creating a social services project management position and approving an initial budget of $100,000 for consulting services to implement the transitional tiny house committee, or deferring the addition of the position and initial budget to the 2025 budget deliberations.
Staff said in their report when they started researching what other municipalities have done to develop this type of project, the initial capital costs ranged from $2.5 million to $4 million, with operating costs as high as $2.6 million each year.
"You're talking 400 square feet and a lot of cost, and we're talking millions for the city, and that to me is a real concern when we're not designated, or mandated, to deal with these types of projects," Bradley said.
Mayor Bradley said he supported council's request for staff to look into the idea, but, in his opinion, tiny homes are not a solution.
"My suggestion would be to refer this to the county for a real discussion about the logistics of tiny homes," he said. "To me it's not the solution we need. What we need is the federal, provincial and the municipal governments to declare it a crisis and to have everyone involved to try and find some solutions that give permanent, decent, low cost affordable housing to communities... And that's what I'd like to see beyond the tiny homes."
Transitional tiny houses are an alternative housing solution for homeless individuals living in tent encampments.
The goal is to provide people -- who are not willing to utilize a congregate care shelter -- some personal privacy, and support, to transition into permanent housing.
Speaking with Sarnia News Today on Friday, city councillor Anne Marie Gillis clarified the size.
"The size of the tiny homes, which are in essence a tiny shelter, are less than 100 square feet," said Gillis. "What it consists of is basically just a room with a bed. A place to have a roof over your head and a door that locks."
Gillis recommended at the previous meeting that the city work collaboratively -- with the local industry, trades, businesses, the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce, services groups, churches and other concerned community members -- to create a number of 80 square foot dwellings.
Gillis also said if the entrenched encampment in Sarnia were moved or changed, services currently being offered by the county would go with it.
The recommendations will be considered during Sarnia council's regular meeting on October 1.