City can force building of affordable units
Atria’s Development is eligible for $1 million in municipal funding, for 136 apartments and no affordable units.
Skyline’s new development on the bank of the Trent Canal (behind Time Square) is 259 apartments and again no affordable units but the developer might include some at a later date (I call B!@$%@!).
J.R. and David McGee plan to put in 170 high-end apartments at 843 Park St. J.R. McGee says he appreciates the fact that Peterborough needs affordable housing, but no such units will be available on the property.
All these projects have been in the news recently and it seems like developers have carte blanche in Peterborough — if you don’t let us do this we will stall, cajole or even threaten to take our new developments elsewhere.
Why is city council not enforcing the law?
Inclusionary zoning came into effect April 12, 2018, and is a planning tool to require affordable housing in residential developments greater than 10 units, with at least 10 per cent to be deemed affordable.
With a combined total of 565 units for three developments, where are the 56 units that should be deemed affordable? If they don’t want to include them in their “Golden Palaces,” penalize them $150,000 per unit that does not meet the definition of affordable housing.
This money can be then used to build truly affordable rentgeared-to-income (RGI) housing, and for rent supplements which offer immediate help to people.
These are only three developments making the news lately. How many more are proposed? Time to start enforcing the rules or start applying penalties. They will still build as Peterborough is one of the hottest housing markets in Canada. They will still make money.
City council has the tools to do this. Why don’t they use them?
Dan Hennessey, Peterborough