City of Hamilton plans to turn east end parking lot into affordable housing

Hamilton city officials are planning on turning another municipal parking lot into affordable housing.

The lot, located at 70 Hope Ave. – near Kenilworth Avenue and Barton Street – is one of several municipal sites that were approved for review in 2023.

City officials say reviewing municipal lots is part of its larger effort to bring in more affordable units and alleviate some of the pressure caused by the housing crisis.

A statement from city counsellor Tammy Hwang reads that through a staff report brought forward in 2018, the lot at Hope Ave. was declared surplus as part of the strategy to use municipal land to accommodate residential units.

City Council directed staff at the time to rezone the lot to permit residential development in Dec. 2023.

The city’s Official Plan permits residential development on the property but a zoning by-law amendment is required to change the regulations from a parking lot to residential use.

The statement further reads, “through the hopeful rezoning, selling and/or leasing the 70 Hope Ave. site, the City [of Hamilton] is encouraging sites to non-profit housing builders and operators to help address the current need for housing, including affordable housing options.”

READ MORE: Stoney Creek parking lot set to become affordable housing after Horwath uses strong mayor powers

A similar decision to turn two connected Stoney Creek parking lots into housing sowed division in the community and at City Hall in 2024 – resulting in Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath invoking strong mayoral powers to push the proposal through.

This time around, the City is inviting community members to a neighbourhood meeting to learn more, ask questions and provide feedback about the proposed development on Hope Avenue.

One of the concepts being considered is a three-storey multiple dwelling, which can hold a maximum of 54 one-bedroom units, and another concept being considered is 20 three-storey stacked townhouses, which can each contain two or three bedrooms.

The open house is scheduled to take place on March 26 at 1353 Barton St. E. between 6 – 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, some residents have already organized a petition to save the parking lot, claiming the development “threatens to force established businesses to close.”

READ MORE: Hamilton council meeting on Stoney Creek parking lot housing project ‘horrendous’