Item - 2015.EX6.8

The Executive Committee:
 

1.  Directed the Director, Affordable Housing Office, in co-ordination with City Planning, and in consultation with Finance and other relevant Divisions and Agencies, to co-ordinate a staff report to the Executive Committee through the Affordable Housing Committee on the development of an "Open Door" program. The program is to be comprised of land, planning and financial actions aimed at enhancing the City's ability to deliver affordable housing and achieve its approved housing targets, to include:
 

a.  Reporting on options for activating quick-start housing developments through the investment of $20 million from the Development Charges Reserve Fund for Subsidized Housing and seeking cost-sharing partnerships with the federal and provincial governments and private and non-profit developers.
 

b.  Improving the City's approach to its surplus lands suitable for housing, including opportunities to reduce the cost of land through providing long-term leases to private and non-profit groups.

c.  Finding opportunities with the development industry to pilot six-story wood construction buildings for affordable housing.

d.  Developing a "gold star" fast-track planning approval process for affordable ownership, affordable rental and mid-range rental applications.

e.  Considering reduced parking standards on a site-specific basis for private and non-profit affordable rental housing well-served by public transit.

f.  Encouraging city staff and City Councillors to increase efforts in all wards to prioritize the voluntary use of Section 37 contributions for affordable housing. 

g.  Expanding policies and procedures for the discount, exemption and waiver or deferral of City development charges, planning and building permit fees and property taxes for affordable rental housing.

h.  Establishing criteria for grants and loans from the Development Charges Reserve Fund for Subsidized Housing.

i.  Enhancing City efforts to encourage purpose-built, mid-range rental housing (up to 150% of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation average market rent), and leveraging these opportunities to secure a portion of these buildings as affordable rental housing (at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation average market rent or less), resulting in buildings with a mix of rent levels.

j.  Reviewing opportunities to increase affordability of new rental homes through income support programs such as housing allowances, rent supplements and provincial income supports and through a centralized, coordinated housing registry.

k.  Securing additional provincial and federal government funding and/or legislative changes that would support the creation of long-term affordable rental and ownership housing in the City.

l.  Quantifying the financial and administrative implications of implementing the additional measures outlined in this request.

2.  Directed the Director, Affordable Housing Office, in consultation with City Planning, Finance and other appropriate Divisions to co-ordinate an inter-divisional targeted consultation with external housing stakeholders to inform the report and recommendations to be submitted to the Affordable Housing and Executive Committees resulting from this request.

3.  Directed the Director, Affordable Housing Office, in conjunction with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and in consultation with Finance and other Divisions, to submit a report to the Affordable Housing Committee, Executive Committee and City Council in November and December of this year on the results of the work arising from this report, with policy and program recommendations, including options for immediate implementation.

4. Encouraged City staff to identify any additional potential projects that may be appropriate pilots for these measures and submit such projects to the Affordable Housing Committee for review and appropriate action.

The Affordable Housing Committee submits its recommendations on the Affordable Housing "Open Door" Initiative, from its meeting of April 27, 2015.