Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist, Affordable Housing on Pier 8 in Hamilton

The Graham Crawford Show

On this edition of the Cityist - Can We Afford This Kind of Thinking About Affordable Housing? I talk about the decision by Councillors to finally include some affordable housing (of the affordable home ownership variety) on Pier 8.

The 5% commitment is too low, but it’s a lot higher than what Chad Collins, and others, had planned for Pier 8. In fact, it’s really the lowest it could be and still be able to talk about a percentage. After all, who would talk about setting aside 2 1/2% of the units for affordable housing? I think we should have stepped out a bit more and talked in terms of 15%. Perhaps even higher.

Staff have been complicit in deflecting questions about a commitment to affordable housing on Pier 8 from residents for almost 2 years. So many people who attended those many West Harbour public meetings spoke so passionately, and tenaciously, in support of more affordable housing - many of them from the neighbourhoods where the housing would be located.

That speaks to a kind of kindness and compassion on which truly great cities are built. They put what was best for most ahead of any personal gain or concern. For me, this was a hugely meaningful moment in Hamilton’s history - people wanting to make more room in their own neighbourhoods for people who need a little bit of help.

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The Graham Crawford Show, with your host Graham Crawford

Executive Producer: Alex Zafer

All shows are produced and recorded by Dave Beatty at Q.E.D. Media in downtown Hamilton.

Visit the official Graham Crawford Show website