Danielle Roy remembers a recent knock at her door in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que.
It was someone informing her of a new social housing project in the area that would convert a seniors' residence into an apartment complex for working Canadians who, despite having an income, are struggling to pay rent in the midst of a housing crisis.
Roy knows the struggle herself, having faced the challenge of finding an affordable apartment while trying to make ends meet in what is becoming an increasingly difficult economy.
"In a time when you want somewhere to live and be able to eat at the same time, you need these kinds of projects," said Roy.
Yet some residents of the West Island suburb have come out in strong opposition, and that outcry has been powerful enough to delay the council's zoning amendment vote last Monday. Residents brought forward a petition signed by more than 160 people, citing concerns about crime, drugs and property value.
Now Mayor Paola Hawa is working to explain to residents that this project is not a halfway house for people with criminal backgrounds or substance abuse issues.
"This is for people who have been dealt a difficult hand in the past and they need a little bit of help to get back on their feet," said Hawa.
That could mean a single mother or somebody who is returning to the workforce after a long illness, she explained.
The facility would be managed by Hébergements Ricochet, a non-profit organization that would form a committee to carefully select each of the tenants who live in the 21-unit building for six months to three years.
That committee would be comprised of Ricochet employees, town residents and one tenant. To be approved, a resident would need to have a regular source of income. They would then pay rent equal to about 25 percent of their salary, and the building would have a social worker on-site around the clock.
"It is extremely secure," Hawa said. "Here, you will know who your next-door neighbour is going to be, because they will be vetted."
Hawa said the building itself would not need any significant renovations as it is already a seniors' residence, located on Ste-Anne Street, and it would provide affordable units in the middle of a housing crisis.
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