A housing emergency

Starting in the fall, 33 families will move into the brand-new apartments in the Lachapelle housing co-op. The three-storey complex has been under construction since April after four years of studies and planning.

Unlike social housing, housing co-operatives are not entirely subsidized: only about half of all residents are afforded the opportunity to pay 25 per cent of their income in rent. Financing from AccesLogis, which makes that arrangement possible, is only guaranteed for the next five years.

"After that, it's all uncertainty," said Lachapelle co-op chairman Johanne Lefrancois.

The majority of the co-op units are for single people, couples or small families, which doesn't leave much room for large families, who incidentally need it the most. A project with fewer, larger apartments would have been rejected because it would have been untenable, according to Lefrancois.

Of course, the idea of participating in community life leaves some people out, especially those with social-integration issues.

"A co-op is a great way to live for some clients, but not to those who are the most marginalized," Lefrancois said, adding she feels only social housing can meet the needs of that population.

Whether it's social housing or a co-op, one thing is certain, according to Lefrancois: Montreal needs more low-cost housing. Contractor Aldo Coviello has already offered to add a co-op unit to the 35 condo he's building on the lot next door, and another 28-unit project, which would be located at the corner of Lachapelle and Emile-Nelligan streets, is currently being studied by city administration.

According to Lefrancois, Ahuntisc/Cartierville has a good handle on the problem of affordable housing. But time is marching on.

"Every time we manage to get one family into a place, four more families sign on to the waiting list," she said.

The Lachapelle co-op is the first of many steps in a very long road…

Translated by Marc Lalonde