Item - 2017.AH6.8

The Affordable Housing Committee recommends to the Executive Committee that:

1. City Council authorize the Director, Affordable Housing Office, to negotiate, enter into and execute, on behalf of the City, agreements or other documents with such environmental, planning and financial or other consultants, community agencies, professionals, private entities and/or individuals deemed necessary to conduct the pre‑development investigations and due diligence considered necessary to ensure successful affordable housing proposal calls on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Director, Affordable Housing Office, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, with respect to the following properties:

a. 150 Harrison Street and 50 Lakeview Avenue;

b. 11 Brock Avenue; and 

c. 640 Lansdowne Avenue.

2. City Council authorize the Director, Affordable Housing Office to pay for the services obtained through Recommendation 1 from the Capital Revolving Fund for Affordable Housing (XR1058), to a maximum of $450,000.00 inclusive of HST and disbursements.

3. City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and the Director, Affordable Housing Office, to report to Budget Committee any impacts on the Operating Budgets for Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and the Affordable Housing Office, once funding details have been identified.

This report seeks approval for pre-development funding for new affordable housing at three surplus public properties from the Capital Revolving Fund for Affordable Housing (XR1058). Up to $450,000 is recommended to pay for due diligence activities, including environmental and planning services, to advance the development of affordable housing on the following sites:

1. 150 Harrison Street and 50 Lakeview Avenue - a former Toronto Police Services site (Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina).

2. 11 Brock Avenue - a former Liquor Control Board of Ontario site (Ward 14 Parkdale-High Park).

3. 640 Lansdowne Avenue - a surplus Toronto Transit Commission property (Ward 18 Davenport).

These three properties are being put forward for affordable housing development under the City’s new Open Door Program which provides surplus public lands, City incentives, and expedited planning approvals for new affordable housing. The three sites are among 25 properties under the jurisdiction of various City Agencies and Divisions that are included in the City's Open Door lands inventory.

It is anticipated that the affordable housing components of the three sites will be made available through separate competitive proposal calls to non-profit and private sector development organizations in 2017 and 2018. To provide the capital support required, and maximize the affordability of the future homes, the proposal calls will be co-ordinated with City, federal and provincial affordable housing program funds and resources. The environmental and planning services recommended by this report will help prepare the sites for the proposal call process. The Affordable Housing Office (AHO) will report to City Council on the results of the proposal calls, including funding and incentive allocations. Subject to regular City Planning processes, the three sites are expected to result in the creation of some 100-120 affordable rental and ownership homes.

 
The AHO will work with local Councillors and communities, the relevant City agencies, Real Estate Services and other divisions and, once approved, the environmental and planning agencies and the affordable housing groups, to move the sites forward through the planning and development process.