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220427 Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee AGDPage 1 of 2 The Corporation of the Town of Tillsonburg Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee April 27, 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 April 27, 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 March 23, 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 5.2 AMO & HATF recommendations (ATTACHED) 5.3 Ontario making it easier to buy a home (ATTACHED) 5.4 Community Housing Renewal Strategy (ATTACHED) Page 2 of 2 May, 25, 2022 8.Adjournment Proposed Resolution #3 Moved by: Seconded by: THAT the April 27, 2022 Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting be adjourned at _____ p.m. 6.Round Table 7.Next Meeting Page 1 of 3 The Corporation of the Town of Tillsonburg Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee March 23, 2022 4:15 p.m. Electronic MINUTES Present: Gary Green, Chris Parker (Chair), Suzanne Renken, Dane Willson, Mayor Stephen Molnar, Councillor Penny Esseltine, Lisa Lanthier, Rebecca Smith, Elyse Pelland Absent with Regrets: Cedric Tomico Also 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: Suzanne Renken Seconded by: Rebecca Smith It was requested that item 5.4 Discussion of RFP for expression of interest for affordable housing in Woodstock be added to the agenda. THAT the Agenda as amended for the Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting of March 23, 2022, be adopted. Page 2 of 3 CARRIED 3.Minutes of the Previous Meeting Resolution #2 Moved By: Councillor Penny Esseltine Seconded By: Gary Green THAT the minutes as prepared for the Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting of March 23, 2022, be adopted. CARRIED 4.Disclosures of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof There were no disclosures of pecuniary interest declared. 5.General Business and Reports 5.1. Oxford County Housing Master Plan – Rebecca Smith provided an update on the Oxford County Housing Master Plan. The properties submitted will be evaluated in the Housing needs assessment. 5.2. Staff Housing Recommendations for Local Consideration – It was requested that this spreadsheet include columns for the Committee to enter their recommendations on what relates most to Tillsonburg. 5.3. Tillsonburg Letter to MMAH Re Report of the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force – The Committee thanked the Mayor for sending this letter. 5.4. Discussion of RFP for expression of interest for affordable housing in Woodstock – Rebecca Smith provided an update on two expression of interests in Woodstock. 6.Round table The Committee discussed NDP’s latest announcement. The Committee discussed the Rotary club of Woodstock and micro housing. Page 3 of 3 Gary Green asked about private developers having affordable housing implemented in their development. Rebecca Smith left this meeting at 5:10 p.m. Dane Willson left this meeting at 5:12 p.m. 7.Next Meeting April 26, 2022 8. Adjournment Resolution #3 Moved by: Gary Green Seconded by: Suzanne Renken THAT the March, 23, 2022 Affordable and Attainable Housing Advisory Committee meeting be adjourned at 5:15 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 CP Set a goal of building 1.5 million new homes in ten years GG CP CT SR 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 CP PE 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.). CP – Supportive, but maybe start with 2 units PE CT SR Provide funding to support the conversion of vacant commercial space to affordable housing through the National Housing Strategy. CP PE SM Permit “as of right” conversion of underutilized or redundant commercial properties to residential or mixed residential and commercial use. GG SM CT SR Work with the provincial government to fully exempt charitable non-profit organizations from HST for new affordable housing projects and purpose-built rental projects. PE SM Permit “as of right” multi-tenant housing (renting rooms within a dwelling) province-wide. GG CP – Yes, but with some limitations for health & safety reasons 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. CP Encourage and incentivize municipalities to increase density in areas with excess school capacity to benefit families with children. GG CP SM CT SR 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. CP PE CT SR Require that public consultations provide digital participation options. GG SR 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. CP PE SM SR Restore the right of developers to appeal Official Plans and Municipal Comprehensive Reviews. GG CP PE CP SM Legislate timelines at each stage of the provincial and municipal review process, including site plan, minor variance, and GG CT SR KP KP KP KP KP KP KP KP Support the repurposing of surplus school lands to housing by donating to municipalities and District Social Service Administration Boards (DSSAB). 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 CP SM Fund the creation of “approvals facilitators” with the authority to quickly resolve conflicts among municipal and/or provincial authorities and ensure timelines are met. GG CP CT 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. CP 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. GG CP SM CT SR Continue to document and disseminate Best Management Practices (BMPs) and provide data support to municipal governments to foster learning, resulting in continuous improvement. CP 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. CP CT Work with municipalities and housing developers to share Best Management Practices (BMPs). CP 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. GG PE SM Ensure there is enough flexibility and supports for municipal governments to look at underused and strategically located employment lands for mixed- uses, including housing CP PE SM CT Align property taxes for purpose-built rental with those of condos and low-rise homes. CP – ALREADY HAPPENING? PE Research and disseminate promising practices from other jurisdictions about how to facilitate innovative housing supply. CP 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. CP SM 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. CP PE SM Commit to evaluate these recommendations for the next three years with public reporting on progress. GG, CP KP KP KP KP KP KP Provide more information and funding to municipal governments who wish to adopt a Community Planning Permit System. CP Set housing affordability targets, milestones, timelines, and measure achievements to track progress of meeting objectives and evaluating interventions. CP, PE CT SR 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 CT SR GG 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.” SR Support growth of new housing supply with corresponding investments in infrastructure including schools, hospitals, transit, and transportation. PE SM GG 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. CP PE Immediately implement an integrated One Window approach involving all provincial line ministries to streamline provincial approvals and support required by municipalities for development. CP CT SR Explore ways to speed up the landlord and tenant board process, including addressing the adjudicator shortage. CP Provide guidance to help developers and homeowners navigate the land use planning process CP Streamline review and approval timelines of provincial agencies involved in reviewing affordable housing and purpose-built rental housing development applications. CP CT SR GG 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 CP, PE GG KP KP KP 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 CP SM CT SR Support and fund the creation of more affordable housing and purpose-built market rentals. GG Provide low-cost loans to homeowners who wish to renovate to create new legal second units in accordance with local municipal bylaws SR GG 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. CP, PE CT GG Work with developers to encourage innovative housing while still conforming to the standards of the Ontario Building Code CP CT SR 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 CP – SAME AS AMO CT 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 CP PE SM SR GG 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. CP Have the flexibility to attract development in accordance with local municipal objectives without prescribed one size fits all solutions that don’t work. CP SM SR Work with municipal governments that are seeking to facilitate partnerships between private and non-profit residential developers, faith groups, CP, PE GG KP KP KP KP KP KP 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 CP CT 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 CP, PE SM CT SR KP 3/30/22, 1:44 PM Ontario is M aking It Easier to Buy a Home | Ontar io Newsr oom https://news.ontario.ca/en/r elease/1001895/ontario-is-making -it-easier -to-buy-a-home 1/3 NEWS REL EASE O nt ario i s M ak ing It Eas ie r to B u y a H om e Provin ce in troduces pl an that wi ll crack down on market speculation , protect h omebu yers, an d in crease h ou sin g supply. March 30, 2022 Municipal Aair s and Housing TORON TO ― Today, the Ontar io government intr oduc ed legislation that, if passed, will suppor t a plan to cr ack down on s peculator s who are dr iving up t he cost of housing, protec t homebuyers from pr edatory development practices, and c reat e more housing options for homeowners and r enter s by accelerating development timelines t o get mor e homes built faster. The More Homes for Ever yone Act outlines the next suite of concrete actions the province is t aking to address Ontario’s housing cris is. This plan, built on rec ommendations from the Housing Aordability Tas k Force and the r st-ever Pr ovincial-Municipal Housing Summit, will deliver both near-ter m solutions and long-ter m commitments to pr ovide more attainable hous ing options for Ontar io families. “Ontar io is the best plac e to live, star t a business and r aise a family, but we can only build on our suc c ess if all har dwor king Ontarians and t heir families ar e able to nd the home they need and want,” said Pr emier Doug For d. “As Ontario’s population and our economy continue to gr ow, building mor e homes is another way that we’re keeping costs down for families ac ross the province.” Mor e Homes for Everyone is a plan that would deliver real s olutions to address Ontario’s housing crisis by: Increas ing the non-resident speculation tax r ate to 20 per cent , expanding the t ax beyond the Greater Golden Horses hoe to apply provincewide and closing loopholes t o ght tax avoidance, eective Mar ch 30, 2022. The tax applies to homes purchas ed anywher e in Ontario by foreign nationals , foreign corpor ations or taxable tr ustees. Wor king with municipalities to identify and enhance measures that will cr ack down on land speculation and pr otect home buyers. This is in response to feedback the province solicited fr om munic ipalities regar ding pr ojects t hat are approved by the municipalit y, but unbuilt by the developer . St rengthening consumer protec tions for pur c hasers of new homes by doubling nes and ext ending building license suspensions to address unethical conduc t by developers, while ensuring penalties for cancelled projects are aligned with the impact on homebuyers. The gover nment is also proposing to enable Tarion to extend war r anties on unnished it ems in a new home. Suppor t ing municipalities wit h resour ces, tools and s tandards to pr ovide timely review and adjudic ation proces s es by both extending legislated timelines for decisions while focusing the decision-making pr ocess. Cr eating a new tool specically designed t o accelerate planning pr ocesses for municipalities . The Community Infr astr ucture and Housing Ac c elerator would help municipalit ies expedite approvals for housing and community infr astr ucture, like hospitals and community centr es, with c lear r equir ements for both consultation and public notice. The tool could not be used in the Greenbelt, maintaining the gover nment’s commitment to protec ting t his valued ar ea. Inves ting mor e than $19 million to help the Ontar io Land Tribunal (OLT) and the Landlor d and Tenant Board to reduce their backlogs. This funding will enable the tribunals t o appoint new adjudicator s, have r esources on hand fo r mediation, and r esolve land use planning and tenant and landlor d disputes more quickly. This will also allow the OLT to expand t heir digital o er ings to fur ther enhance eciency and pr ovide mor e e-services. Conducting consultation on t he c oncept of a multi-generational community, which will begin the proc ess of implementing “missing middle” ho using policies that will wor k to implement gentle density and multi-generational homes on t he gr ound across dierent types of municipalities. Making it easier to build more community housing by making better use of pr ovincially-owned lands for non-pr ot housing providers. To preserve the existing stock of community housing and moder nize the syst em for those who 3/30/22, 1:44 PM Ontario is M aking It Easier to Buy a Home | Ontar io Newsr oom https://news.ontario.ca/en/r elease/1001895/ontario-is-making -it-easier -to-buy-a-home 2/3 depend on it, the government has established a new regulatory fr amework under the Community Housing Renewal St rategy that encourages housing pr ovider s to stay in the system and help vulner able Ontar ians get back on their feet. Ontario commits to a housing supply act ion plan every year over four year s, star ting in 2022-23, with policies and tools that s uppor t implementing the recommendations from the housing aordability Task For ce’s r eport. “Thr ough consultations with the public, t he r s t ever Pr ovincial-Municipal Housing Summit, and the Housing Aor dability Tas k Force, we heard that speculative behavior in the mar ket and long, dr awn-out approval proces s es are making it too dicult for Ontarians to realize the dr eam of home ownership. Our gover nment’s plan pr oposes smart, tar geted measures to pro tect consumer s , and make the proc ess wor k better and faster , help more Ontar ians nd the home that’s r ight for them and their families,” s aid Minister Clark. “However , ther e is no silver bullet to addressing the housing c risis. It requires a long-ter m str ategy with long-ter m co mmitment and coor dination at all levels o f government. We are committed t o introducing an update to Ontar io’s Housing Supply Action Plan every year over four years in partnership with municipalities and sector as s ociations and deliver long-t er m solutions for all Ontarians.” “Our government is cr acking down on bad ac tor s and defending future homeowner s fr om unethic al and egregious pr actices, ensur ing developers looking to make a quick buck will think twice before t rying to take advantage of hard-wor king Ontarians,” said Ross Romano , Minis ter of Government and Consumer Ser vices . “These c hanges will not only impr ove access to ho using but will also protect Ontarians making one of t he biggest purchases of their lives – a new home.” Quick Fact s In 2021, two year s after implementing More Homes, Mor e Choic e, Ontario had mor e than 100,000 new hous ing star ts, the highest level sinc e 1987, and the highest level of new r ental starts in 30 year s (sinc e 1991). A Sc otiabank housing r eport found that Ontar io is one of the few provinces in Canada below the national aver age for the supply of homes per c apita, with Canada having the lowest amount of housing per c apita of any o f the G7 c ountries. Mor e Homes fo r Everyone is the r esult of a three-part c onsultation with industr y, municipalities, and the public. This includes the r eport from t he Hous ing Aor dability Task Force, whic h highlights exper t r ecommendations to inc rease supply and ser ves as Ontar io’s long-term housing r oad-map to addr ess the housing crisis. Along with the measures to cut r ed t ape and get homes built faster , our government is helping municipalities make their planning and approvals processes more ecient and identify potential savings thr ough the new Streamline Development Appr oval Fund (over $45 million provided) as well as the Municipal Modernization Progr am (over $68 million pr ovided t hr ough three intakes) and the Audit and Accountability Fund (over $23 million provided through thr ee intakes). This funding is helping municipalit ies streamline and modernize their planning pr ocesses inc luding ocial plan and zoning updates, plan of subdivision and site plan approvals, and impr ove t heir delivery of o ther local ser vices. Ontario is c onsulting with the public, municipalities and stakeholder s to develop r ecommendat ions on how t o suppor t gentle density for multi-generational and missing middle housing, as well as addressing housing needs in r ur al and norther n communities. Ontario is also cons ulting with the public on proposed regulation c hanges to address unethical condo cancellations. Pr ovide your input at: Proposed r egulatio ns to better infor m and pr otect pur c hasers of condominium homes (ont ar iocanada.com) Add it ional Resour ces Ontario’s Mor e Homes for Everyone Plan  Ontario’s Housing Supply Pr ogr ess Phase Two Public Cons ultations of G rowing the Gr eenbelt Relat ed Top ics G o ve r n m e n t Lear n about t he gover nment ser vices available to you and how gover nment works. Lear n more Ho m e an d Co m m un i ty 3/30/22, 1:44 PM Ontario is Making It Easier to Buy a Home | Ontario Newsroom https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1001895/ontario-is-making-it-easier-to-buy-a-home 3/3 Information for families on major life events and care options, including marriage, births and child care. Also includes planning resources for municipalities. Learn more Taxes and Benefits Learn about taxes in Ontario and what they support, including tax credits you can get to help you with living and business costs. Learn more Media Contacts Zoe Knowles Minister’s Oce Zoe.Knowles@ontario.ca Communications Branch mma.media@ontario.ca Accessibility Privacy Contact us © Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2012-2022 234-2022-981 March 31, 2022 Dear Heads of Council and Chairs of District Social Services Administration Boards: In April of 2019, our government announced the Community Housing Renewal Strategy (CHRS) which outlined our plan to work with Ontario’s partners in municipalities, non- profits, and housing co-ops to stabilize and grow the community housing sector. We have already made great progress achieving these objectives as evidenced by the Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act, 2020 (Bill 184), which supports our government’s plan to ensure all Ontarians can find a home that meets their needs and budget. Our government has delivered on the CHRS by: •Launching programs under the National Housing Strategy to maintain affordability and rental support for households, grow community housing supply, and connect households with opportunities for homeownership; •Providing over 9,000 low-income households with portable housing benefits (PHB) through the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB); •Making life easier and safer for tenants and housing providers by simplifying Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) rules, changing waitlist rules to allow vacant units to be filled more quickly, and limiting access for those previously evicted for criminal activity; and •Passing amendments made to the Housing Services Act, 2011 to enable the creation of a new regulatory framework for community housing that is more efficient and better meets households’ needs. It is with great pride that I can inform you that our government is introducing a new regulatory framework under the CHRS. The new regulatory framework responds to our extensive consultation with the sector and stabilizes Ontario’s community housing system for those who live and work in it. We have made regulatory changes to protect much-needed community housing across the province and make sure the system is sustainable over the long term. …/2 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Office of the Minister 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto ON M7A 2J3 Tel.: 416 585-7000 Ministère des Affaires municipales et du Logement Bureau du ministre 777, rue Bay, 17e étage Toronto ON M7A 2J3 Tél.: 416 585-7000 -2- The new community housing framework encourages housing providers to remain in the system by signing service agreements. This will protect critical community housing supply and encourage housing providers to continue to offer deeply affordable rents for tens of thousands of Ontario households. These changes will ensure community housing is there for the people who need it most by requiring Service Managers to set local income and asset limits and continuing to prioritize survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking for rent -geared-to-income assistance. These changes will also improve efficiency and update accountability rules to encourage new programs that meet local housing needs. These changes will begin to come into effect on July 1, 2022, with full implementation by July 1, 2023. For your information, copies of the regulations are posted here: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r22242 https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r22241 On behalf of our government, I would like to extend our thanks for your work in developing the new framework. We look forward to continuing to work with our municipal partners to develop guidance material to support implementation of these changes in local communities over the coming months. Sincerely, Steve Clark Minister