Affordable Housing: Expropriate Rogers' Vacant Huntley & Isabella Homes

From "Post your proposal here for the consideration of Councillor Moise"

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Rogers Communications — a multibillion dollar Canadian telecommunications company — owns multiple blocks of houses on Huntley Street and Isabella Street. With the exception of a live-in caretaker in one of the houses, these houses have been entirely vacant for multiple years. With an ongoing housing crisis in Toronto, these are important and existing resources that could be housing people. The City of Toronto should pursue expropriation of these vacant homes for use as affordable housing.

The following addresses are part of this assembly:

30 Huntley Street

32 Huntley Street

34 Huntley Street

36 Huntley Street

38 Huntley Street

40 Huntley Street

112 Isabella Street

114 Isabella Street

116 Isabella Street

118 Isabella Street

120 Isabella Street

122 Isabella Street

124 Isabella Street

The properties fronting Huntley Street (including 124 Isabella Street) are heritage houses which could be restored and adaptively reused for affordable housing, whereas 112-122 Isabella Street is a complex of late 20th century townhouses which could be demolished and intensified. The rear of the properties contains a large surface parking lot which could also be used for affordable housing intensification.

Official updates

Last update: April 19, 2024

Thank you for submitting this proposal. I have spoken with Rogers who has shared that they originally bought the Jarvis and Isabella properties as part of plans for an office expansion. As with many companies with a larger amount of employees now working from home, their needs have changed. Rogers is now exploring how this land can be used to create more housing in Toronto–including rental housing—and is investigating interim uses for these properties in the meantime. Recently, Toronto and East York Community Council approved an application by Rogers at their 350 Bloor Street East location that will add during this process. I will also share that the company had a nearby office recently rezoned by Council, which will create 806 new residential units, with 16 of them will be operated by a non-profit. I look forward to engaging with Rogers on these properties when they are ready to move forward with an application. At the moment, the City will not be moving towards the expropriation of private property. Thank you,

Councillor Chris MoisePosted on April 19, 2024-Last edited on April 19, 2024

Comments(9)

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Profile of Lee Fancy

Posted by:Lee Fancy

1 week ago

It's over 800 units 16 will go to a no-profit 16 out of over 800 what percent is that

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Profile of Darren Donahue

Posted by:Darren Donahue

7 months ago

Unfortunately, the Rogers company and family get to tell the city how to run things, not the other way around, especially when John Tory was mayor and they basically filtered money into his back pocket. This is a perfect example. As others said, they had better be paying the Vacant Home Property Tax

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Profile of Linda Beatty

Posted by:Linda Beatty

1 year ago

I assume that they are at least paying the vacant property tax.

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Profile of Catherine McGinnis

Posted by:Catherine McGinnis

7 months ago

@Linda Beatty Yes. That would be interesting to find out. Hmmm.

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Posted by:

2 years ago

I live nearby and walk these streets regularly, but hadn't realized how thoroughly vacant these buildings are. What a waste! The heritage structures should be protected and maintained, but also lived in and loved. This would be a particularly good location to create supportive housing. There are so many unhoused and marginally housed individuals in our neighbourhood who deserve the opportunity to thrive with mental health and addiction supports, housing and food security. Working together to achieve that would create a more stable community for all who live and work here.

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Posted by:unknown author

2 years ago

This level and type of ownership housing by a corporation - during our current housing need levels is simply outrageous. Criminal. And paid for with destroyed lives

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Profile of Lee Fancy

Posted by:Lee Fancy

1 week ago

Course the city is not going to force them to give up their land the city is developer obsessed anybody that wants to give any money for any development the city will jump and this counselor is no different we know the previous one got four condos out of her term by letting developers do what they want I wonder what this one's going to get out of it