Item - 2021.PH21.2

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council as sole shareholder, direct the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board of Directors to direct the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation to undertake the necessary due diligence work to identify the financial and operational implications related to the full redevelopment of the Dan Harrison Community Complex by the fourth quarter of 2021, and to submit the reports to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat for review in consultation with the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO.

2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing and Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO to report to the Planning and Housing Committee by the first quarter of 2022 with a proposed plan to improve the built-form and the operations of the Dan Harrison Community Complex and to create new supportive housing opportunities to better serve the needs of existing and future residents.

3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the Executive Director, Financial Planning and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to identify funding sources, including that from the Provincial and Federal governments, for the acquisition or expropriation of the properties at 214, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226 and 230 Sherbourne Street and/or other suitable locations for the purpose of building deeply affordable and supportive housing.
 

4. City Council request CreateTO to examine opportunities to fund the acquisition or expropriation of the properties at 214, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226 and 230 Sherbourne Street and/or other suitable locations for the purpose of building deeply affordable and supportive housing and to report to the CreateTO Board on the business case, the feasibility of a strategic acquisition or expropriation no later than the third quarter of 2021, on the basis that any resulting transaction will be subject to approval by City Council with a report that identifies budgeted funds being available for such purposes.
 
5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the Executive Director, Financial Planning and CreateTO, to continue negotiations and, if necessary, to initiate expropriation proceedings for the properties at 214, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226 and 230 Sherbourne Street for the purpose of building deeply affordable and supportive housing, once budgeted funds for such purposes have been identified and approved by City Council.
 
6. Should the property owner of 214, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226 and 230 Sherbourne Street indicate a sincere willingness to sell the subject properties to the City for the purpose of building affordable and supportive housing, and funding has been secured by the City to support the acquisition, City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, the Executive Director, Financial Planning and CreateTO, to immediately enter into a conditional Agreement of Purchase and Sale, subject to agreeable terms and the approval of City Council, and to report back as soon as possible.

The Acting Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat gave a presentation on Activating a Revitalization Plan for the Dundas Sherbourne Neighbourhood.

In April 2019, City Council adopted Item MM6.13 - "The Dan Harrison Community Complex Master Plan" and directed staff to include a renewed comprehensive strategy to address the long-standing challenges at the Dan Harrison Community Complex as part of the Five-Year Downtown East Action Plan and the Tenants First reports.

In addition, in December 2019, City Council adopted Item PH11.10 - "Activating a Revitalization Plan for the Dundas Sherbourne Neighbourhood", and directed staff to report back to the Planning and Housing Committee with a proposed neighbourhood revitalization plan for the Dundas East and Sherbourne Street area, including a business case for the modernization of the Dan Harrison Community Complex at 251 Sherbourne St. Staff were also requested to examine opportunities to fund the acquisition of the properties at 214, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226 and 230 Sherbourne Street, should they become available for purchase.

This report responds to Council's requests. It outlines work completed to-date and recommends short, medium and longer measures to activate a ten-year Neighbourhood Revitalization Plan for the Dundas East and Sherbourne Street neighbourhood (identified as the area bounded by Pembroke Street in the east, Ontario Street in the west, Carlton Street to the north and Queen Street to the south). Additionally, this report recommends that Council direct Toronto Community Housing Corporation to conduct further due diligence, including an assessment of cost and operational implications, related to the redevelopment of the Dan Harrison Community Complex.