By Cecilia Nasmith
As the Town of Cobourg undertakes the necessary steps to develop an Affordable and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan, it is also issuing an invitation to its citizens to find out more at a Dec. 5 project launch event.
The town's press release noted that the study has been initiated, and additional details will be available at the event, which runs from 4 to 6 p.m. (with a formal 4:30 p.m. presentation) in the Victoria Hall Citizens Forum (second floor west at 55 King St. W.).
The Affordable and Rental Housing CIP is being developed in response to the rising need for affordable and rental housing options within the town, and will also help advance the recently released Northumberland County Affordable Housing Strategy.
A CIP is a strategic policy tool that can provide a suite of incentives to address specific local needs and priorities (such as the shortage of affordable and rental housing), as well as promote sustainable, accessible and economic development.
The study, which is expected to take eight months, began in October. The town has retained an experienced consulting team from MHBC Planning and SHS Consulting – experts in the fields of urban an strategic planning, policy development, housing strategy and stakeholder consultation - to prepare the CIP.
At the Dec. 5 project launch, representatives from the town and the consulting team will introduce the study and provide an opportunity to engage stakeholders and citizens in open discussion, present additional study details and update participants on the next phases of the study.
