The City of Montreal has used its right of first refusal to “acquire and protect” a rooming house in the Sud-Ouest borough in order to “improve the supply of affordable housing in the metropolis”.
The two-storey building, which includes seven bedrooms, will therefore be purchased at market value by the City. It will pay the sum of $1,385,000 to acquire it. The official announcement will be made on Monday morning.
Afterwards, the City will entrust the management of the building to a non-profit organization (NPO) or to the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM), which will get to work as soon as the transaction is made official.
“Affordable housing needs are urgent in Montreal, as everywhere in Quebec,” said Benoit Dorais, vice-president of the executive committee, responsible for real estate and housing strategy and mayor of Sud-Ouest, in a communicated.
“By acquiring the rooming house on rue du Centre, we are making sure to protect its vocation and the affordability of its units over the long term. The right of first refusal that the City has given us gives us the agility we need to protect Montreal’s affordability as soon as an opportunity arises,” he adds.
This property is located at 2661, rue du Centre, according to the agenda of the regular meeting of the executive committee dated July 5.
A conscious effort
A total of 101 rooming houses in nine Montreal boroughs have been subject to the right of first refusal since 2022. Five buildings, including the Sud-Ouest rooming house, were acquired by municipal authorities during this period.
“In the context of housing scarcity, it is our duty to preserve the affordability of the existing rental housing stock. By protecting rooming houses, we are also strengthening the safety net for the most vulnerable people,” said Josefina Blanco, city councilor and member of the executive committee.
“Rooming houses are often the last defense against homelessness. By preserving them, we ensure that these dwellings continue to provide accessible housing and we avoid the displacement of vulnerable populations,” added Ms.me White.
The City’s right of first refusal exists to encourage “the preservation of existing housing and facilitate the purchase of buildings by non-profit community organizations,” reads the announcement.