Confirmation of Minutes

 

On motion by Councillor Howard Moscoe, the Minutes of the Affordable Housing Committee held on May 20, 2009 were confirmed.

This item was considered together with AH10.2.  See Item AH10.2 for Committee Decision.

Staff presentation on the overview of affordable housing stimulus funding to the Affordable Housing Committee.

 

(No written material)

The Affordable Housing Committee recommended to the Executive Committee, for its meeting on September 8, 2009 that:

 

1.         Deputy City Manager Sue Corke and Director of Purchasing and Materials Management be requested to report directly to City Council, at its meeting to be held on September 30 and October 1, 2009, with the list of recommended projects in the report (August 12, 2009) titled "New Affordable Housing Program Opportunities", upon completion of the Request for Proposals for Affordable Housing process; and

 

2.         the Director, Affordable Housing Office be requested to continue to work with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to facilitate the ongoing delivery of the Affordable Housing Program Extension Home Ownership Component to support first-time buyers access home ownership opportunities through partnerships with Habitat for Humanity Toronto, Toronto Community Housing's Regent Park Revitalization, Home Ownership Alternatives, and Toronto Artscape.

The Affordable Housing Committee also:

 

1.         requested the Director, Affordable Housing Office:

 

a.         in recognizing that the final list of recommended affordable housing developments is subject to the results of a Request for Proposal process which is currently underway, and will be subject to an upcoming report to City Council, to inform all members of City Council of sites proposed in their wards;

 

b.         in recognition of the capacity of the housing development community in Toronto and in light of the request for some 10,000 units of new rental housing, to work with affordable housing proponents who are interested in accessing future federal/provincial affordable housing program funding so as to maximize the investment and housing opportunities in the City of Toronto, and to report back to the Affordable Housing Committee on progress and update; and

 

2.         requested Mayor Miller to make this item a timed urgent item for consideration on the first day of the September 30, 2009 City Council meeting.

 

Sean Gadon, Director, Affordable Housing Office gave a PowerPoint presentation and an overview of affordable housing stimulus funding and filed a copy of his presentation.

The City’s Housing Opportunities Toronto: An Affordable Housing Action Plan 2010 -2020 calls for the creation of 1,000 new affordable rental homes annually.  The City has also committed to participating in national and provincial economic recovery initiatives, including facilitating the construction of new affordable housing as outlined in the Mayor’s memorandum to City Councillors on July 21, 2009.

 

This report supports the city’s affordable housing and economic recovery efforts in outlining potential new affordable housing opportunities arising from the Request to Pre-qualify (RTP) number 9155-09-7127.  In total 31 private and non-profit housing proponents, who have proposed to construct 6,095 rental units in 22 wards, are short listed to participate in a second stage Request for Proposals (RFP) process which is now underway.

 

The report recommends that upon the completion of the Request for Proposals, the Deputy City Manager and Director Purchasing and Materials Management report directly to City Council, at its meeting to be held on September 30, and October 1, 2009, with a list of proposals for affordable housing to be recommended to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for funding.  Unlike other recent affordable housing programs, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has not made specific funding allocations to Municipal Service Managers.