Affordable Housing

Leamington’s Advocacy Working Group goal is to increase safe, affordable, and accessible rental housing in Leamington.

According to the 2021 Census, Leamington has the second highest percentage of low-income households in Windsor Essex County. 30.7% of households in Leamington are renters and 9.3% are in “core housing need” which is defined as living in unsuitable, unaffordable, or inadequate housing.

Unaffordable housing can leave families with little money for other necessities such as nutritious food, healthcare, or emergency preparedness. Limited access to affordable housing is linked with lower life satisfaction and poor mental health. Moreover, unaffordable housing has a disproportionate impact on single-parent households, newcomers, and racialized populations.

Below are housing and homelessness supports and programs in our region. Click the resource title to visit their website.

211 Ontario

211 is a helpline that connects people with the social services, programs, and community supports they need. This service is confidential, and you do not have to give your name or personal details.

To use this service, you can:

• Visit the 211 website and use the search bar to find services.
• Call 211 (Toll-Free 1-877-330-3213). The helpline is answered by real people 24/7 and this service is available in 150+ languages!
• Text 211 from Monday to Friday, 7am to 9am ET.
• Email gethelp@211ontario.ca. Emails are monitored Monday to Friday from 7am to 9pm ET.

Finding Affordable Housing

The City of Windsor and various community agencies offer supports for individuals and families in Windsor-Essex County who require assistance in obtaining and retaining affordable housing.

Visit their website to review a full list of supports, including:

• Housing Information Services
• Rent Assistance Programs
• Emergency Shelters

Essex County Homelessness Hub

The Homelessness Hub is a drop-in program designed to meet the needs of individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. The Hub is located at 215 Talbot Street East in Leamington and is open Monday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Visitors to the Essex County Homelessness Hub can access food, restrooms, clothing, quiet spaces for daytime rest as well as computers and phones. It is also a safe and accessible shelter during extreme weather conditions. Other services available include:

• Assistance with Central Housing applications;
• Search for affordable housing;
• Information and referrals to outside services;
• Connecting individuals to income support;
• Eviction prevention;
• Liaison with Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program and income supports;
• Support in obtaining identification; and
• Access to harm reduction services.

For more information, call 519-326-8629, ext. 395.

Legal Assistance of Windsor

Legal Assistance of Windsor (LAW) is an interdisciplinary clinic combining legal and social work professions to meet the multi-faceted needs of the low-income community in Windsor and Essex County.

The Legal Assistance of Windsor office is open for prescheduled appointments between 9am – 12pm and 1pm – 3pm Monday to Thursday. Please visit their website or call 519-256-7831 to learn more.

Learn More About Affordable Housing