Expanding highly supportive housing
City Council endorsed the Whole of Community System Response approach in March of 2023, which is London’s roadmap to help the most marginalized individuals in our community move safely inside, become stabilized, supported, and connected to appropriate housing. This work is being guided by community-led plans approved in 2024 for Hubs and Highly Supportive Housing.
In the past year, two hubs have been established, as well as 93 highly supportive housing units, with 50 more units in development, toward a goal of 600 highly supportive housing units within three years.
One example of the City’s Highly Supportive Housing model in action is the House of Hope.
A model for health and housing integration
Since October 2023, as part of a partnership between London Cares and London Health Sciences Centre, the House of Hope has established 49 highly supportive units at 362 Dundas Street. Since opening its doors, 90% of House of Hope’s residents came straight from the streets or encampments, and 10% from long-term hospital stays.
Residents of House of Hope have experienced significant health improvements, including a 74% reduction in emergency department visits in the first three months compared to the same period in 2022.
New rental unit repair licence to prevent renovictions
This fall, City Council approved a new Rental Unit Repair Licence aimed at protecting tenants and preventing unfair ‘renovictions’ through new requirements put in place for landlords who want to complete renovations to rental units that are so extensive that they require a tenant to move out. This is an important step to protect renters in our community, stop people in London from being forced out of their homes, and discourage the use of N13 notices to evict tenants unfairly.
Turning vacant space into homes
We took a significant step toward building more homes for Londoners with the approval of the new Office-to-Residential Conversion Grant Program. This initiative, part of our broader strategy to address housing demand, provides incentives for property owners to convert underutilized office spaces into residential units.
The program offers financial support to encourage these conversions, helping to repurpose vacant office buildings into much-needed housing. This program not only aims to increase the availability of affordable and diverse housing options but also helps to revitalize the downtown core, making it more vibrant and livable for residents.
Paving the way for sustainable development
City Council approved amendments to The London Plan that will allow greater heights, higher density, mixed-use, and more connected development to be permitted in London. These changes will help London meet critical housing needs and create a more sustainable and vibrant city in the future.
In addition, City Council recently approved amendments to The London Plan and Zoning By-law to allow development of a new neighbourhood on the former London Psychiatric Hospital lands. This project, planned by Old Oak Properties, will transform the area at Highbury and Oxford Street over the next two decades into a unique neighbourhood with 8,400 residential units, including a mix of low, medium, and high-density buildings, commercial spaces, parks, bike lanes, and pathways. Once complete, it will be the largest development in London’s history.
To learn more about progress we’ve made on housing and homelessness, review our Strategic Plan Dashboard.