Item - 2023.PH1.9
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on February 7, 2023 with amendments.
- This item was considered by the Planning and Housing Committee on January 19, 2023 and adopted without amendment. It will be considered by City Council on February 7, 2023.
PH1.9 - Creating New Affordable and Supportive Homes for People Experiencing Homelessness
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
City Council on February 7 and 8, 2023, adopted the following:
1. City Council reiterate its request to the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to support the creation of new housing opportunities for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness by identifying and dedicating surplus lands within Toronto for new affordable rental and supportive housing.
2. City Council, as Shareholder, direct the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to authorize the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, to enter into lease arrangements with the City of Toronto for a term of 50 years less a day, for sites deemed appropriate by City staff, and following consultation with the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing, to create new supportive housing.
3. City Council, as Shareholder, direct the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to request the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation to engage with the Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation, City and CreateTO staff as appropriate, and provide the City Manager and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat with a list of at least four potential, suitable sites that could be intensified to create new modular or other forms of supportive housing by no later than February 21, 2023.
4. City Council request the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to report back to the Planning and Housing Committee by July 5, 2023, with details of the City funding allocations through the Rapid Housing Initiative Phase 3, a list of proposed projects, and to seek any required authorities to advance such projects.
5. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to report to the Planning and Housing Committee in the fourth quarter of 2023 with an evaluation of supportive housing and a plan for continuous improvement of the City's supportive housing program, which must include but not be limited to:
a. collection and analysis of data;
b. lessons learned from implementation of completed supportive housing projects; and
c. an evaluation of adequacy of supports in supportive housing.
Background Information (Committee)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2023/ph/bgrd/backgroundfile-233886.pdf
Communications (Committee)
Motions (City Council)
REVISED
That:
1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to report to the Planning and Housing Committee in the fourth quarter of 2023 with an evaluation of supportive housing and a plan for continuous improvement of the City's supportive housing program, which must include but not be limited to:
a. collection and analysis of data;
b. lessons learned from implementation of completed supportive housing projects; and
c. an assessment of the impacts of supportive housing on the new residents in supportive housing and surrounding residents including low-income senior communities, and Toronto Community Housing Corporation tenants. an evaluation of adequacy of supports in supportive housing.
Vote (Adopt Item) Feb-08-2023 5:44 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - PH1.9 - Adoption of Planning and Housing Committee Recommendations 2, 3, and 4 only |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 24 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Brad Bradford, Alejandra Bravo, Jon Burnside, Shelley Carroll, Lily Cheng, Mike Colle, Gary Crawford, Vincent Crisanti, Paula Fletcher, Ausma Malik, Nick Mantas, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Chris Moise, Amber Morley, Jamaal Myers, Frances Nunziata (Chair), James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, Dianne Saxe, Michael Thompson, John Tory |
| Total members that voted No: 2 | Members that voted No are Stephen Holyday, Anthony Perruzza |
| Total members that were Absent: 0 | Members that were absent are |
Councillor Holyday, rising on a Point of Order, stated that he would like to vote on Recommendation 1 separately from Recommendations 2, 3 and 4, and that he would like a recorded vote on 2, 3, and 4, which can be a block.
Councillor Holyday, rising on a Point of Order, stated that he had no request on that, and that he was referring to the committee recommendations.
PH1.9 - Creating New Affordable and Supportive Homes for People Experiencing Homelessness
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Adopted
- Wards:
- All
Committee Recommendations
The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:
1. City Council reiterate its request to the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to support the creation of new housing opportunities for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness by identifying and dedicating surplus lands within Toronto for new affordable rental and supportive housing.
2. City Council, as Shareholder, direct the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to provide the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, with authority to enter into lease arrangements with the City of Toronto for a term of 50 years less a day, for sites deemed appropriate by City staff, and following consultation with the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing, to create new supportive housing.
3. City Council, as Shareholder, direct the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to request the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation to engage with the Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation, City and CreateTO staff as appropriate, and provide the City Manager and Executive Director, Housing Secretariat with a list of at least four potential, suitable sites that could be intensified to create new modular or other forms of supportive housing by no later than February 21, 2023.
4. City Council request the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to report back to the Planning and Housing Committee by July 5, 2023, with details of the City funding allocations through RHI Phase 3, a list of proposed projects, and to seek any required authorities to advance such projects.
Origin
Summary
The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is a federal capital funding program which aims to create new affordable rental housing within an expedited time frame for people experiencing or those at risk of homelessness. This program has been critical in scaling up the supply of deeply affordable homes primarily through modular construction, acquisitions and/or conversions.
In November 2022, the federal government announced the third phase of RHI which will allocate: $500 million nationally to municipalities under the Cities Stream; and $1 billion nationally via an applications-based process to provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous governing bodies and organizations, and non-profit organizations. Eligible projects must be delivered within 18 months and the City is required to submit an investment plan to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) by March 15, 2023 with a list of potential projects for funding consideration.
In order to meet the March 15, 2023 timeline, staff are reviewing a number of City-owned sites which might be appropriate to building modular homes, and potential acquisition opportunities including a few existing shelter hotel sites. As part of these efforts, it is critical that public lands owned by City agencies, boards and corporations, including Toronto Community Housing Corporation, be explored. It is also pivotal that the federal and provincial governments invest their surplus land holdings in order to scale up housing supply in Toronto.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2023/ph/bgrd/backgroundfile-233886.pdf
Communications
Speakers
Councillor Lily Cheng