Item - 2021.PH26.7

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council declare the City-owned property at 11 Brock Avenue surplus, with the intended manner of disposal to be by way of a long-term lease to a non-profit affordable housing provider to be selected through a competitive process, and City Council direct staff to take all steps necessary to comply with the City's real estate disposal process set out in Article 1 of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 213, Real Property.

2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to issue a competitive request for proposals (RFP) to identify a non-profit affordable housing provider to develop and operate an affordable housing project on the site, under a 99-year lease, with the successful non-profit provider to be approved by Council.

3. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to provide capital funding from the Development Charges Reserve Fund for Subsidized Housing (XR2116) in the amount not to exceed $100,000, inclusive of the Harmonized Sales Tax and disbursements, to pay for pre-development and due diligence services considered necessary to ensure a successful, competitive proposal call to identify a non-profit developer and operator with respect to the City-owned property at 11 Brock Avenue, including but not limited to environmental, engineering, planning, financial, community and non-profit engagement or other services.

4. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to pay for pre-development and due diligence services outlined in Recommendation 3 above from the Capital Revolving Reserve Fund for Affordable Housing (XR1058), to a maximum of $500,000 inclusive of the Harmonized Sales Tax and disbursements, fully funded from the development at 51-77 Quebec Avenue and 40-66 High Park Avenue (Source Account: XR3026-3700854).

5. Pursuant to Recommendation 4 above, City Council authorize the transfer of $500,000 from the Section 37 Reserve Fund (Source Account: XR3026-3700854) to the Capital Revolving Reserve Fund for Affordable Housing (XR1058).

6. City Council authorize up to 40 affordable rental housing units to be developed at 11 Brock Avenue to be exempt from the payment of development charges, building, planning and parkland dedication fees.

7. City Council authorize an exemption from taxation for municipal and school purposes for 99 years for up to 40 affordable rental units to be constructed on the lands known as 11 Brock Avenue.

8. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate and enter into, on behalf of the City, a municipal housing project facility agreement (the "Contribution Agreement") with the successful non-profit provider for the development of the affordable housing to be constructed on the lands known as 11 Brock Avenue, to secure the financial assistance being provided and to set out the terms of the operation of the new affordable rental housing, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

9. City Council authorize the Controller to cancel or refund any taxes paid after the effective date the Contribution Agreement.

10. City Council authorize, severally, each of the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to execute, on behalf of the City, any security or financing documents required by the successful non-profit housing provider to secure construction and conventional financing and subsequent refinancing, including any postponement, tripartite, confirmation of status, discharge or consent documents of any City security documents where and when required during the term of the municipal housing facility agreement, as required by normal business practices, and provided that such documents do not give rise to financial obligations on the part of the City that have not been previously approved by City Council.

11. City Council amend the Approved 2021-2030 Capital Budget and Plan for Housing Secretariat through an increase of $600,000 in the project cost and 2021 cash flow for the Rental Development Project, to support the pre-development work at 11 Brock Avenue funded from the Capital Revolving Reserve Fund for Affordable Housing (XR1058) and the Development Charges Reserve Fund for Subsidized Housing (XR2116) pursuant to Recommendations 3 to 5 above.

At its meeting of October 2, 2019, City Council authorized the City of Toronto to enter into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale to acquire 11 Brock Avenue, with the intention of securing a not-for-profit housing provider to redevelop the property for the purpose of creating affordable housing. Following this, the City acquired title to the property on December 19, 2019.

This report provides an update on the pre-development work completed to-date, recommends funding to complete additional pre-development work, and recommends that the site be declared surplus with the intention of leasing it to a not-for-profit housing provider to be selected through a competitive Request for Proposals process. Finally, this report recommends that $2,800,279 in Open Door Program incentives be provided to enable the development and operation of the affordable rental housing for a period of 99 years.

Staff have undertaken preliminary planning work and have determined that the subject property would support a low-rise apartment building and could provide the opportunity for housing approximately 40 individuals. The new homes will be made available to vulnerable and marginalized residents including people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Staff will also work with the selected non-profit operator to ensure that a range of wrap-around support services are provided onsite to help residents improve their health and socio-economic outcomes, and maintain long-term housing stability.