The Decision Document is for preliminary reference purposes only.  Please refer to the Committee’s Report to Council or to the Minutes for the official record.

The Affordable Housing Committee recommended to the Executive Committee that:

1.         City Council request the Chair of the Affordable Housing Committee to write the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and acknowledge the support of the provincial government in approving Council recommended affordable housing developments.

2.         City Council request the Chair of the Affordable Housing Committee to also urge the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to approve any Council recommended affordable housing developments that are as yet unfunded in year two of the economic stimulus Affordable Housing Program initiative.

3.         The 2010 Recommended Operating Budget for Shelter, Support and Housing Administration be adjusted to include the funding for the development loans/grants for the projects identified in this report.

4.         The 2010 Recommended Operating Budget for Shelter, Support and Housing Administration be adjusted to include the funding for the loans from the Home Ownership Program identified in this report.

The Affordable Housing Committee requested that the report (March 24, 2010) from Deputy City Manager Sue Corke and recommendations be forwarded to the Budget Committee for its information.

At its meeting of September 30 and October 1, 2009, Council requested that the Director, Affordable Housing Office, report back to the Budget Committee and the Affordable Housing Committee on which Council-approved economic stimulus affordable housing developments had been recommended for funding by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, while also including current year and future year budget implications.

The budget implications reported here reflect Council approval of affordable housing developments recommended in May and September 2009.

This report provides an update on the seven developments, totalling 998 homes, which have now received a funding commitment from the province in the amount of $120,148,000.00.  This is the total funding commitment at the time this report was written. However the province will make further year two economic stimulus funding commitments in April, 2010.

The report also recommends that the Chair, Affordable Housing Committee, write the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, urging the province to fund the remaining Council-recommended proposals that are yet to be approved.  As of March 24, 2010, three Council recommended proposals were unfunded for a total of 606 rental homes.

This report also provides a brief update on 120 Affordable Housing Program loans that will assist low-income households to become home-owners.

The Affordable Housing Committee recommended to the Executive Committee that:

1.         City Council adopt a policy of supporting assisted home ownership with grants funded by the Development Charges Reserve Account (2009) for Subsidized Housing (account number XR 2116), provided the housing is developed by not-for-profit corporations and eligible purchaser households have incomes meeting the definition of ownership affordability in the Provincial Policy Statement (under the Planning Act).

2.         All assistance to non-profit development proponents under this policy be provided pursuant to a selection process as set out in this report and be subject to specific Council approval for each project.

3.         The Deputy City Manager responsible for the Affordable Housing Office establish an approach to oversee monitoring and implementation, and report annually to the Affordable Housing Committee on the performance and requirements of not-for-profit corporations receiving grants under the policy.

4.         Upon the resale or voluntary repayment of the individual grants within twenty (20) years, that these funds be re-deployed by the City to support further grants to support non-profit assisted ownership developments under the approved home ownership policy.

5.         City officials be directed to expedite the delivery of new home ownership grants under the new policy by undertaking the pre-qualification and project selection process for home ownership grants to be recommended in 2010 and submit recommendations to the August 16, 2010 Executive Committee.

6.         In implementing the new assisted home ownership policy, City officials consult with non-profit home ownership stakeholders on the development of "implementation guidelines" to respond to detailed issues raised by deputants.

This report proposes standardizing the City’s approach to supporting assisted home ownership by establishing a policy governing grants funded from the City’s Development Charges Reserve Account (2009) for Subsidized Housing (account number XR 2116).

The recommendations of this report are broadly consistent with an implementation action supporting affordable home ownership initiatives in the City’s 10-year Housing Opportunities Toronto plan.  City grants for non-profit home ownership developments targeting low-to-moderate income purchasers would reduce upfront development costs and complement down-payment assistance provided to eligible purchasers through the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program, and other related City and federal/provincial incentives.

The recommendations also respond to requests from non-profit ownership proponents, such as Habitat for Humanity, Home Ownership Alternatives and Toronto Community Housing, to reduce the costs associated with development and standardize the City’s assistance for new affordable/assisted ownership homes.

The Affordable Housing Committee recommended to the Executive Committee that:

1.         In order to increase access for low-income homeowners, Council urge Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to adopt a mechanism to annually update House Value Thresholds in Toronto to better reflect market conditions in Toronto.

2.         Council request Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to work with the Director, Affordable Housing Office, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and the Toronto Real Estate Board to develop updated House Value Thresholds.

3.         Council request Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to update the Toronto House Value Thresholds with an effective date of January 1, 2010 and that existing applications be considered eligible under the revised threshold.

4.         Council support Recommendation 42 in the Report of the Subcommittee on Cities submitted by the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, as set out below:

            "Extend the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program as a permanent program, increase the budget allocations for this program, and amend eligibility requirements to take into account differential costs for repairs in different communities across Canada, and projects converting housing units for affordable rental accommodation."

This report responds to a request from the Chair of the Affordable Housing Committee, Councillor Mammoliti, to summarize the demographics of Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) clients; to outline what the City has done to address RRAP house value limits; and to discuss a protocol for Councillors to assist in RRAP applications.

RRAP has helped repair and create more than 9,000 homes in Toronto over the past decade.  Housing Opportunities Toronto (HOT), the City’s ten-year affordable housing plan, calls on the federal government to expand RRAP and other initiatives that support renovation and energy retrofits.

Limits on incomes, house values and rents, set by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), ensure RRAP is available to existing low-and moderate-income households in lower-cost housing. Seniors and low-income families are the most common beneficiaries of RRAP.  In effect, the lowest-income quarter of Toronto homeowners and the lowest-income half of tenants are eligible for RRAP. 

“House Value Thresholds” (HVT), i.e. price ceilings, are set by CMHC in three zones that cover the city and are currently $300,000.00, $350,000.00 and $400,000.00.  However, the average house price in about half of Toronto’s wards exceeds these levels. The 2009 median house value was $406,045.00, a 5.5% increase from $384,992.00 in 2007.

Therefore, the City should request an increase in the HVTs to reflect Toronto’s higher home prices. This request is based on CMHC’s commitment to renew RRAP through 2014.

With regards to the existing RRAP communications protocol, once CMHC confirms the annual funding amount the Director of the Affordable Housing Office (AHO) advises Councillors in writing. Councillors refer interested constituents to RRAP staff in the AHO, who provide information and assistance with the application and monitor the repair process.

This report responds to a request from the October 20, 2009 meeting of the Affordable Housing Committee that the City of Toronto create an awards program to honour the work of its partners in the field of affordable housing. The committee was acting on a recommendation from the Chair, Councillor Mammoliti, contained in an October 5, 2009 letter.

This report outlines a recognition event to be held at the June 3, 2010 meeting of the Affordable Housing Committee for proponents currently involved in the creation of affordable rental and ownership housing. The event will honour 16 proponents responsible for the construction of some 2,500 new affordable homes in 2010.

It also outlines a permanent awards program beginning in 2011 that will be a central part of the City’s participation in the United Nations’ World Habitat Day, which occurs on the first Monday of October each year. The awards will be presented for excellence and innovation in such areas as financing, environmental impact, service provision and conversion to affordable housing.

The Affordable Housing Committee recommended to the Executive Committee that:

1.         City Council approve in principle the following recommendations as set out below:

a.         Exempt the 20 affordable rental housing units to be operated by Toronto Artscape Inc. at 150 Sudbury Avenue from taxation for municipal and school purposes for a period of twenty years.

b.         Grant authority to the Director, Affordable Housing Office, in consultation with City Finance and City Legal, to amend the definition of "housing project" in By-law No. 282-2002, the City's Municipal Housing Facility By-law, to exempt the affordable rental housing units at 150 Sudbury from the restriction that affordable rental housing projects not be registered condominiums.

c.         Grant authority to the Director, Affordable Housing Office to negotiate and enter into a municipal capital facility agreement with Toronto Artscape Inc., or such other corporation controlled by it, to secure the ongoing affordability of the rental housing units being exempted from taxation, on such terms and conditions, including the taking of security, as the Director considers appropriate and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

d.         Grant authority to and direct the Director, Affordable Housing Office to execute, on behalf of the City, the municipal housing facility agreement, and any security or financial documents required thereby.

conditional to staff immediately bringing forward a site specific official plan amendment to allow condominium registered units owned by Artscape at 150 Sudbury Street as affordable rental housing to the Toronto East York Community Council.

2.         City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with Deputy City Manager Sue Corke and Director, Affordable Housing Office, to bring forward to Planning and Growth Management Committee any needed changes to the Official Plan to facilitate affordable rental housing owned by a non-profit housing provider within a registered plan of condominium on a City-wide basis.

3.         City Council authorize the appropriate officials to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Requesting support for recommendations to implement the intent of the Council approved settlement offer for 150 Sudbury Street concerning a waiver of property taxes for affordable housing developed at this location.

Forwarding key recommendations from their report "In From the Margins: A Call to Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness" and requesting support for their ongoing process of engagement to ensure that poverty, housing and homelessness issues continue to get public and political attention.

News Release on the poster campaign promoting "Housing as a human right".

Providing an update and extending thanks to all stakeholders on consultations held with respect to the development of Ontario's Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy.

Advising that the Affordable Housing Office and Shelter, Support and Housing Administration staff are working on the report with stakeholders.