Cut red tape to build affordable homes faster

I am appalled at the recent news articles about the City of Windsor council being called out by the prime minister for lack of ambition in tackling housing, and by the premier pointing to stats that Windsor's housing starts are below targets.

Both aim to embarrass our city, mayor and council into making rash decisions.

Housing is not solved by governments — by throwing public money at it or by creating artificial targets.

The federal government figured out 100 years ago that housing is most efficiently delivered by the private sector. Ontario figured this out nearly 30 years ago when the Red Tape Commission was set up. Yet, here we are with political rhetoric blaming others for not achieving artificially set goals with conditional money.

One thing that has been obvious over the years is that if you want to build housing, get out of the way of the builders and developers.

Set the rules and guidelines then step aside. I would add: remove artificial barriers imposed which only serve political agendas.

Mr. Trudeau, don't throw money at the problem and impose restrictions on its use. Don't tell municipalities they must change all zoning bylaws before you will hand out taxpayers' money.

And your comments about lack of ambition are disingenuous — you may believe them, but they come from a political agenda which does not serve the community.

You need to rethink the money you propose to hand out and give it to the buyers of modest homes. These could be infill multi-family homes, row housing, or apartments. We need to lower the cost of housing so people of modest income can afford to buy or rent their homes.

Mr. Ford, imposing artificial limits is inimical to effectively creating housing. The new commissions and committees — set up to study how to reduce red tape, to reduce housing costs, to deliver public services more efficiently and faster — have not studied past studies and solutions.

The simplest way to encourage developers to build modest housing or apartments is to reduce costs and deliver public services efficiently.

Mayor Dilkens, I do not envy your position, or that of Windsor city council — having a carrot dangled in front of you to deliver unrealistic housing starts.

What it will take is eliminating municipal red tape and reducing fees and charges. On two recent small industrial projects, it took over a year to secure building permits on lands zoned and ready.

Planning applications and restrictions are the single biggest delay: this needs to be changed.

Secondly, 25 per cent of the cost of a modest home is made up of direct taxes — development charges and building permit fees. This is where council can be more creative to encourage development of modest housing.

Lastly, setting aside public lands for upscale housing will do nothing to ameliorate the housing shortage.

The single biggest deterrent to getting homes built is cost, cost resulting from the time in planning, approvals and permit stages, and in the fees and charges. It is in these areas that governments have control, and it is here that they must direct their attention, not by setting artificial goals or throwing money at the problem.

To city council: Reduce or eliminate development charges on small, modest housing projects and reduce the time to secure approvals. To the province: Reduce taxes and look to the policies which impede and change regulations. Work with the community, the builders and developers — do not impose and then point fingers.

To federal leaders: Give targeted incentives and reduce taxes to allow those earning average incomes to afford to own a home or rent.

There's a lack of vision.

Look beyond political agendas and work with those who will build the necessary housing. Listen to those who develop the lands and build the homes. Talk to one another.

Stop the committees and commissions — let's take the money promised and direct it effectively to where it will do the most good.

Let's work together to increase housing to meet the needs of our community.