Saying the cost of buying up seven acres of land on Wellington Avenue is too steep, the City of Windsor is again looking for a new location for its Homelessness and Housing Help Hub.
The plan to build a new 4H on Wellington Avenue at Wyandotte Street West was announced in April after the city reviewed Expressions of Interest from four property owners and examined 200 properties.
At the time, the city said it might expropriate the land. Still, on Monday, it changed its tune, saying "It has been determined that the costs associated with land acquisition would be too expensive for the city's specific intended use."
"We are taking meaningful, measurable, and fiscally responsible steps to continue supporting our vulnerable population," said Mayor Drew Dilkens.
Earlier this year, the city expanded hours and enhanced services at the existing Homelessness and Housing Help Hub on Wyandotte Street East near Dougall Avenue.
"City council remains committed to securing the appropriate site and getting this right. For H4 to be sustainable and effective, the city and council must strike a balance between providing robust support and maintaining fiscal prudence while continuing to advocate for significant funding from upper levels of government," said Dilkens. "In the meantime, we are proceeding with upgrades to the temporary site, which will need to be open for the next few years while the work to locate a new site, gather funding, and undertake construction occurs."
The city said it will continue looking for a site that will allow for the inclusion of many partner services, such as the Downtown Mission, to co-locate at one site and provide full-service delivery.