Housing Corp eyes possible $1 purchase of vacant lot from city

An unsold property recently offered as a tax sale by the city may soon be purchased by the Sault Ste. Marie Housing Corporation to possibly become future affordable housing.

The property at 60 London Street is currently a vacant lot and was part of the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s recent tax sale. In 2019, the same home was involved in a fire that resulted in its residents at the time being displaced.

In a recent report to the Sault Ste. Marie Housing Corporation (SSMHC), its director of infrastructure, Jeff Barban, said the city did not receive any formal offers on the property, opening up an opportunity for SSMHC to pick it up for one dollar under an existing asset purchase plan.

In the fall, the property was being offered by the city with a minimum tender amount of $83,044,46, with an assessed land value of $45,500.

Among properties purchased by the housing corporation over the past few years under that agreement were 23 Blake Ave. and 162 Dennis St. 

The Blake Street property was eventually offered to Habitat for Humanity and a new home was built and offered to a family last year. The house on the Dennis Street property was demolished last year before the property was offered to Habitat for Humanity for $1.

Founded in 2002, Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie and Area is a non-profit charitable organization that helps local families achieve affordable home ownership.

“This opportunity will allow future consideration to develop or divest the property for the construction of affordable housing and help to improve the overall neighbourhood with new development,” Barban said of the London Street lot. “This property also allows the unique ability to concentrate neighbourhood revitalization for the first time within a street block located in the downtown core.”

The $1 purchase of the London Street property must go before city council for final approval. Barban estimates the final purchase will also require about $1,000 in legal fees to complete the transfer.

In an email, SSMHC chair Stephanie Hopkin said there are no specific plans yet for how the property will be used if the sale is approved.

“[It’s] just another serviced lot in the portfolio, which can be developed, passed to a community partner or sold in the future,” she said. “Having serviced land in our portfolio can be helpful when federal or provincial funding comes available and requires a quick turnaround on construction completion to qualify.”