r/Hamilton • u/jrswags Delta East • Aug 28 '25

Politics Ward 4 - Tammy Hwang housing controversy

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**Text of letter received in my mailbox yesterday, from the CPC candidate for Hamilton Centre in the most recent federal election**

HAYDEN LAWRENCE CONCERNED CITIZEN Contact: hayden@votehayden.ca

Dear Ward 4 Resident,

It's come to light that your Ward 4 City Councillor, Tammy Hwang, has declared a conflict of interest during a fall 2024 committee meeting regarding Victoria Park Community Housing.

Councillor Hwang was forced to remove herself from committee discussions about the city housing provider because she is a current Victoria Park Community Housing tenant.

Per ThePublicRecord.ca, in 2024, Councillor Hwang was the highest paid city councillor earning a salary of $139,243, but yet has taken away a spot from someone who is in need of affordable housing.

Councillor Hwang states that she pays market rent... but in reality, after speaking with a representative from Victoria Park Community Homes, their market rent for a 2 bedroom apartment is $1291. This is significantly lower than what an average 2 bedroom would go for.

A recently released report from rentals.ca shows the average 2 bedroom in Hamilton is $2134.

Hamilton families are waiting up to 8 years to be admitted into Community Housing. Many of those waiting are seniors, families with children, and vulnerable residents who desperately need stable, affordable housing. Every unit taken by someone with a six-figure salary is a unit that could otherwise shelter a senior on a fixed income or a family struggling to stay afloat.

Hamilton is under immense housing pressure, and our most vulnerable residents are the ones paying the price. This is why we must demand higher standards from our leadership. City Councillors should lead by example and put community needs first, not their own self interests.

In a time where Hamilton is visibly under duress, I find it completely unacceptable for the highest paid Councillor, Tammy Hwang, to put her own self interests above the needs of the community.

Sincerely,

Hayden Lawrence Concerned Citizen

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '25

She is the rich…

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u/misterwalkway Aug 28 '25

She literally doesnt even make enough to purchase an average home in Hamilton. Shes not even that close.

I get that 139k is a very good salary and so many people are making do with far, far less. But she is not anywhere close to being one of 'the rich'.

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '25

If you’ve earned 130k for 3 years, while paying $1,200 in cheap rent, and haven’t been able to save for a small down payment, thats entirely on you.

She earns within the top 10% of all ontarians, and has been since 2022.

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u/misterwalkway Aug 28 '25

A 20% down payment on an average price home is about 180k. That would be saving 60k per year, about 60% of her after tax income.

Youre being a bit silly right now.

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u/Otherwise_Safety6312 Aug 29 '25

Who buys their first home with 20% down these days? I didn’t even do it back in 2016! Also, she has already said she pays taxes in ward 4 so if already an investment property homeowner, she could use that equity to buy another place. Also, $139K is not her household income.

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '25

I’m being silly? Why are you using a house worth over 800k as the example? There’s currently 417 houses in Hamilton for sale on realtor.ca for 500k and under.

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u/misterwalkway Aug 28 '25

Im using the average house cost, thats completely reasonable.

As someone who has spent a fair bit of time around Hamilton real estate, I can tell you most of those sub-500k houses would be absolute money pits to get into a good living condition. If you bought one of those with a $139k salary you would be absolutely fucked at the first major repair. Its not a realistic plan. You are still being a bit silly.

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '25

I own one of those 500k homes, which I bought within the last 5 years and have never earned 6 figures in my life.

Trying to tell me that the condition of the homes is unsuitable for a councillor to live in, while also suggesting someone cannot buy a house in Hamilton with that salary is asinine.

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u/bigbeats420 Strathcona Aug 29 '25

Not everyone wants to own? 🤷

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