City action plan for affordable housing takes its first step
St. Catharines council is moving forward with an affordable housing action plan for the city.
Council approved a first phase Monday by asking staff to delve further into ideas such as creating an affordable housing grant for developers and allowing detached accessory apartments without zoning amendments.
More than 40 ideas were detailed by staff at Monday night’s council meeting aimed at trying to address the rising need for affordable housing in the city.
“It’s important for council to understand that affordable housing will be a long-term commitment,” planner Margaret Josipovic told councillors, explaining it’s not an issue that will be finished if they implement a few items.
“It’s going to be something that’s going to take time and constantly be adjusted as the economy shifts, and markets shift and politics shift.”
In January, council passed a motion by Mayor Walter Sendzik asking staff to prepare a comprehensive report on what the city could do within its power to encourage the development of affordable housing.
Staff were asked to look at everything from zoning allowances for mini houses to creative incentives for developers to build affordable housing.
Josipovic said affordable housing is housing for which the purchase price is at least 10 per cent below the average. For rentals, it’s units at or below the average market rent of a unit in the area.
She said city staff started by asking stakeholders, the public and service providers what the biggest issues are.
“The biggest thing that pretty much came up from everyone was the lack of units,” she said. “Supply doesn’t meet demand.” Other issues included poor condition of units, the Niagara Regional Housing wait list, increasing market prices, public opinion and perception of affordable housing, the cost of development and availability of funding among others.
Josipovic said they then looked at every type of tool available to the municipality to address affordable housing. She presented council with 41 ideas that staff want to explore for possible inclusion in a housing action plan.
They include creating an affordable housing grant in the communityimprovement plan and introducing an automatic waiving of fees for affordable housing projects.
Allowing detached apartments without a zoning amendment and increasing size allowances for interior accessory apartments would be considered.
A prohibition of downsizing properties from higher to lower densities could be implemented.
The city could also encourage and support innovative housing options so, for instance, it doesn’t take years to approve container homes.
Other ideas included advocacy, such as petitioning the Ministry of Housing for funding and petitioning the province and federal government for the use of surplus public lands for affordable housing projects.
St. Andrew’s Coun. Joe Kushner had concerns that detached accessory apartments without zoning amendments could lead to student intensification in the south end of the city which already has student issues. And Port Dalhousie Coun. Carlos Garcia didn’t want those apartments to significantly alter neighbourhoods. “I think compatibility is very important to consider.”
Sendzik emphasized council was not implementing any changes Monday but was asking staff to bring back good policy so council can talk about it. “This is a first step for us,” he said. Council passed a recommendation directing staff to prepare new policies, amendments and procedures to address eight of the 41 ideas as priority actions.
It also agreed that the other ideas be explored for possible inclusion during the preparation of the city’s formal housing action plan.
Future phases of the plan will see the mayor and staff put together a working group of qualified professionals, targeted for this summer. They will advise on priority items set out in the report, identify other goals and next steps.
A third phase would be public and stakeholder consultation from summer to fall. Implementation of chosen options would happen in the fall.
St. Patrick’s Coun. Mat Siscoe commended staff for raising interesting innovations.
“This is a very complicated file and it’s one that has not been done well in Niagara in the past and has definitely been left to fall by the wayside over the last several years,” Siscoe said.
“I’m glad this city is taking some leadership on the matter and I hope our regional colleagues will take the hint and pay a little bit more close attention to this particular issue.”
A staff report to council said the city’s rental demand is outpacing supply and the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment has continued to rise faster than the province’s rent increase guideline.
St. Catharinesè vacancy rate has decreased from 3.1 per cent in 2015 to 2.5 per cent in 2016.