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220323 Affordable and Attinable Housing Advisory Committee AGDPage 1 of 2 The Corporation of the Town of Tillsonburg Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee March 23, 2022 4:15 p.m. Electronic AGENDA 1.Call to Order 2.Adoption of Agenda Proposed Resolution #1 Moved by: Seconded by: THAT the Agenda as prepared for the Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting of March 23, 2022, be adopted. 3.Minutes of the Previous Meeting (ATTACHED) Proposed Resolution #2 Moved by: Seconded by: THAT the Minutes as prepared for the Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting of February 22, 2022, be adopted. 4.Disclosures of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof 5.General Business and Reports 5.1 Oxford County Housing Master Plan Page 2 of 2 5.2 Staff Housing Recommendations for Local Consideration (ATTACHED) 5.3 Tillsonburg Letter to MMAH RE Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force (ATTACHED) 6.Next Meeting April 26, 2022 7.Adjournment Proposed Resolution #3 Moved by: Seconded by: THAT the March 23, 2022 Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting be adjourned at ___ p.m. Page 1 of 3 The Corporation of the Town of Tillsonburg Affordable and Attainable Housing Committee meeting February 23, 2022 4:15 p.m. Electronic MINUTES Present: Dane Willson, Chris Parker (Chair), Councillor Penny Esseltine, Mayor Stephen Molnar, Lisa Lanthier, Elyse Pelland, Cedric Tomico Absent with Regrets: Gary Green, Suzanne Renken, Rebecca Smith Staff Present: Kyle Pratt, Chief Administrative Officer Kennedy Atkinson, Acting Executive Assistant Cephas Panschow, Development Commissioner 1.Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 4:16 p.m. 2.Adoption of Agenda Resolution #1 Moved by: Dane Willson Seconded by: Counsellor Penny Esseltine THAT the Agenda as prepared for the Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting of February 23, 2022, be adopted. CARRIED 3.Minutes of the Previous Meeting Resolution #2 Page 2 of 3 Moved by: Counsellor Penny Esseltine Seconded by: Dane Willson THAT the minutes prepared for the Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting of January 26th, 2022, be adopted. CARRIED 4.Disclosures of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof There were no disclosures of pecuniary interest declared. 5.Presentations No presentations 6.General Business and Reports 6.1. County Housing Master Plan Two sections of land were presented to the Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee, and an additional section of land was recommended by the Committee. A report will be brought forward to the next council meeting for discussion. Information from Blandford Blenheim will be circulated as requested by Mayor Stephen Molnar. Resolution #3 Moved by: Cedric Tomico Seconded by: Mayor Stephen Molnar THAT the Affordable/Attainable Housing Committee recommends to Council that the excess lands at 31 Earle St and a portion of the 45 Hardy Ave and a portion Gyulveszi Park property be supported for inclusion in the Oxford County Housing Master Plan analysis for potential future development CARRIED 6.2 Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force - Review of Most Appropriate Recommendations for Tillsonburg It was recommended that this item be reviewed by staff and identify items that re most relevant to Tillsonburg. 7.Round Table It was requested that Staff attach the response letter for the Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force to the next agenda. Page 3 of 3 8.Next Meeting March 23, 2022 9.Adjournment Resolution #4 Moved by: Dane Willson Seconded by: Lisa Lanthier THAT the February 23, 2022 Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting be adjourned at 4:54 p.m. CARRIED AMO Housing Affordability Task Force Support provinces and territories with a national strategy to help municipal governments to plan for population growth from immigration and facilitate more housing supply Set a goal of building 1.5 million new homes in ten years To accelerate the development of new housing supply, the Housing Accelerator Fund should fund municipalities using new technology and methods (e.g., e-permitting and Lean Sigma methodologies, etc.) as well as the dissemination of best practices Limit exclusionary zoning in municipalities through binding provincial action: a)Allow “as of right” residential housing up to four units and up to four storeys on a single residential lot. b)Modernize the Building Code and other policies to remove any barriers to affordable construction and to ensure meaningful implementation (e.g., allow single-staircase construction for up to four storeys, allow single egress, etc.). Provide funding to support the conversion of vacant commercial space to affordable housing through the National Housing Strategy. Permit “as of right” conversion of underutilized or redundant commercial properties to residential or mixed residential and commercial use. Work with the provincial government to fully exempt charitable non-profit organizations from HST for new affordable housing projects and purpose-built rental projects. Permit “as of right” multi-tenant housing (renting rooms within a dwelling) province-wide. Redesign and expand the Federal Lands Initiative and provide surplus or under-used crown lands to municipal governments and contingent on building affordable and/or ‘missing middle’ housing solutions. Encourage and incentivize municipalities to increase density in areas with excess school capacity to benefit families with children. Promote awareness and provide information to municipal governments and residents about ways to effectively facilitate legal second suites and new rentals in a manner that meets the needs of the communities. Require that public consultations provide digital participation options. Support municipal governments to work with developers to convert underused office and commercial properties to residential use where desirable and feasible for local communities through changes to the Ontario Building Code and other measures. Restore the right of developers to appeal Official Plans and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews. Support the repurposing of surplus school lands to housing by donating to municipalities and District Social Service Administration Boards (DSSAB). Legislate timelines at each stage of the provincial and municipal review process, including site plan, minor variance, and provincial reviews, and deem an application approved if the legislated response time is exceeded. Explore the feasibility of a conversion strategy for older long- term care homes being demolished for redevelopment into supportive housing Fund the creation of “approvals facilitators” with the authority to quickly resolve conflicts among municipal and/or provincial authorities and ensure timelines are met. Fund municipalities to accelerate the development of new housing supply by supporting new technology and methods (e.g., e-permitting, Lean Sigma methodologies, etc.) as well as the dissemination of best practices. Require a pre-consultation with all relevant parties at which the municipality sets out a binding list that defines what constitutes a complete application; confirms the number of consultations established in the previous recommendations; and clarifies that if a member of a regulated profession such as a professional engineer has stamped an application, the municipality has no liability and no additional stamp is needed. Staff Housing Recommendations for Local Consideration Continue to document and disseminate Best Management Practices (BMPs) and provide data support to municipal governments to foster learning, resulting in continuous improvement. Create a common, province-wide definition of plan of subdivision and standard set of conditions which clarify which may be included; require the use of standard province-wide legal agreements and, where feasible, plans of subdivision. Work with municipalities and housing developers to share Best Management Practices (BMPs). Waive development charges and parkland cash-in-lieu and charge only modest connection fees for all infill residential projects up to 10 units or for any development where no new material infrastructure will be required. Ensure there is enough flexibility and supports for municipal governments to look at underused and strategically located employment lands for mixed-uses, including housing Align property taxes for purpose-built rental with those of condos and low-rise homes. Research and disseminate promising practices from other jurisdictions about how to facilitate innovative housing supply. Fund the adoption of consistent municipal e-permitting systems and encourage the federal government to match funding. Fund the development of common data architecture standards across municipalities and provincial agencies and require municipalities to provide their zoning bylaws with open data standards. Set an implementation goal of 2025 and make funding conditional on established targets. Explore and pilot new innovative home ownership programs with municipal governments for low- and moderate-income people, with a special focus on first-time homebuyers, including shared-equity schemes and rent-to-own approaches. Commit to evaluate these recommendations for the next three years with public reporting on progress. Provide more information and funding to municipal governments who wish to adopt a Community Planning Permit System. Set housing affordability targets, milestones, timelines, and measure achievements to track progress of meeting objectives and evaluating interventions. Increase affordability and support climate change adaptation and mitigation through the construction of new net-zero housing and retrofits of existing housing that meet Passive House, LEED or similar standards to decrease energy costs for homeowners and tenants over time Review the Residential Tenancies Act on an ongoing basis to ensure a balance of the rights and obligations of landlords who seek a conducive environment to provide rental opportunities and tenants who need adequate protection from illegal or unreasonable “renovictions.” Support growth of new housing supply with corresponding investments in infrastructure including schools, hospitals, transit, and transportation. Review the Building Code for clarity and provide greater education to municipal governments, developers, and the public on how to apply the Code to achieve a greater supply of safe and sustainable housing. Immediately implement an integrated One Window approach involving all provincial line ministries to streamline provincial approvals and support required by municipalities for development. Explore ways to speed up the landlord and tenant board process, including addressing the adjudicator shortage. Provide guidance to help developers and homeowners navigate the land use planning process Streamline review and approval timelines of provincial agencies involved in reviewing affordable housing and purpose-built rental housing development applications. Develop and implement a provincial Rental Housing Strategy with incentives such as tax credits and tax exemptions for private and non-profit housing developers to encourage the building of new purpose-built rental housing, and specific initiatives to meet the unique needs of rural and northern communities Support non-profit and co-operative housing to develop community and supportive housing through donations of land, up-front pre-construction funding and capital funding Support and fund the creation of more affordable housing and purpose-built market rentals. Provide low-cost loans to homeowners who wish to renovate to create new legal second units in accordance with local municipal bylaws Explore ways to address the shortage of skilled labour in the construction trades through workforce development strategies including measures such as education, training, apprenticeships, public promotion, and immigration. Work with developers to encourage innovative housing while still conforming to the standards of the Ontario Building Code Advocate for the province to fund municipalities to accelerate the development of new housing supply by supporting new technology and methods (e.g., e-permitting and Lean Sigma methodologies, etc.), as well as the dissemination of best practices that could assist in more efficient planning and development approval processes while respecting sound planning practices Revisit zoning best practices to explore planning solutions that could include zero-lot-line housing, community improvement plan (CIP), reduced parking minimums, tiny homes, laneway housing, flex housing, shared housing, and other types that reduce land costs and increase density Work with the province to raise awareness among municipalities about the potential benefits of as-of-right zoning and inclusionary zoning bylaw that reflect a diverse mix of housing. Have the flexibility to attract development in accordance with local municipal objectives without prescribed one size fits all solutions that don’t work. Work with municipal governments that are seeking to facilitate partnerships between private and non-profit residential developers, faith groups, institutions, and community agencies to increase the supply of affordable and supportive housing. Take steps to ensure developers submit complete, quality applications to reduce timelines and reduce the number of resubmission Work with municipal governments and the province to identify factors that contribute to delays in getting shovels in the ground after all approvals are done and explore joint solutions with the private sector to accelerate development Tuesday, February 15, 2022 Office of the Minister Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto ON M7A 2J3 Tel.: 416 585-7000 Feedback RE: Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force Dear Minister Steve Clark, On behalf of the Town of Tillsonburg, I would like to thank you for the work undertaken by the Government of Ontario and the Housing Affordability Task Force with respect to the shortage of housing in our Province. The Task Force’s recommendations are both creative and comprehensive and should go a long way towards addressing the housing crisis. As you are aware, the housing affordability crisis is becoming more apparent every day across Ontario including communities like Tillsonburg. In Tillsonburg, property listings are receiving 15-20 offers often tens of thousands of dollars over asking price! New rental properties are being offered for lease at rates that are not affordable for couples let alone single individuals. The idea of saving for a down payment on a $650,000 “starter home” is nothing more than a dream. In addition, what was once referred to as the “invisible homelessness” crisis in Tillsonburg is now very visible in the Downtown area. To start addressing these issues, Tillsonburg Town Council has established an Affordable and Attainable Housing Committee in order to better understand the housing crisis in the context of our community and its needs. While Tillsonburg is fortunate in some regards in terms of expediting housing growth due to recent efforts to expedite Planning reviews and approvals, we are still not able to keep up with overall demand for housing and this has the potential to significantly impact the future economic prosperity of our community due to increased homelessness, shortages of housing for workers, etc. The Town has a number of initiatives underway to address the need; including, but not limited to, expediting planning approvals for current applications, reviewing municipally- owned properties that could be redeveloped, identifying potential private sector partnerships and exploring ways to revise our current Community Improvement Plan to enable increased support for multi-residential and social housing projects. Page 2 of 3 While you are correct in suggesting that one size does not fit all and that municipalities in different parts of Ontario face unique challenges, the crisis is similar for all. Additionally, wages have not kept up with housing price increases. Many people simply can no longer afford to live in our beautiful Province. We support the goal of building 1.5 million houses in Ontario over the next 10 years. As outlined in recommendation 2 of the Report, we believe these housing units must be offered in a variety of housing types and sizes in order to meet a variety of needs. Notwithstanding the positive nature of many of the report’s recommendations, we would request that your municipal partners be fully engaged with the implementation of the plan should the recommendations be approved by the Government. Implementing all of these recommendations at the same time or without regard to local Official Plans and Zoning Bylaws has the potential to result in a “free for all” type environment, which may not yield the benefits desired for our Province. Together, we can work to identify the highest priority recommendations and develop ways to implement them in a timely manner that meets our needs. These conversations are crucial and of the upmost importance. If this crisis is not addressed; the notion that our children will not be able to purchase a home, and, quite possibly, not be able to live in our Province is a very realistic possibility. Further, how can Ontario be positioned to welcome newcomers to this Country if the housing problem is not addressed. In closing, we thank you for the opportunity to provide initial comments on this report and we look forward to providing an update on local initiatives at the upcoming Ontario Good Roads Association conference in April 2022. Sincerely, Stephen B. Molnar Mayor Town of Tillsonburg 200 Broadway, Suite 204 Tillsonburg, ON N4G 5A7 Phone: 519-688-3009 Ext. 4050 Cell: 519-403-8245