GUELPH -- A proposed supporting housing project in Guelph is causing concerns for some residents.

A not-for-profit is planning to build affordable housing in the Willow Road Area, but some who live near there are expressing concerns about the plan.

Barb McPhee said community housing helped get her back on track after she was homeless between the ages of 58 and 61.

"When you get a home and you make friends and you make neighbours, it just makes you a better person," she said. "It makes you think twice about what you're doing."

She said she supports the affordable housing project, designed by Kindle Communities.

"We're looking to build a building, a nice building that will house approximately 30 individuals," Kindle CEO Sheila Markle said.

The non-profit wants to give people a place to call home while offering 24-hour support.

"Each individual will access the supports they need, so we're looking at this from a primary health care perspective," Markle said.

However, some living nearby said they have concerns, since the proposed location is close to a school.

"The children will be playing here and I think people that are chronically homeless, having drug problems, etc., it's not a good environment for the children and their safety," resident Ken Le Lacheur said.

"Imagine more traffic of people suffering from addiction right now with all these kids outside, so that kind of terrifies me," resident Jason McCrossan said.

A petition is now circulating as some residents try to stop the project from going forward.

"Everything is concentrated in this area of Willow and it does have a bad name now for that reason," Le Lacheur said. "I don't think it's right to concentrate everything in one area."

Markle said the area is ideal because it's close to all amenities.

"The supports in and of themselves make the building safer," she said.

The proposal is still in its pre-development phase.