The Municipal Role in Meeting Ontario s Affordable Housing ... · Dave Hardy (Chair) Marni Cappe (Past Chair), Andrea Gabor, Tony Usher, Ann Tremblay, Jeff Celentano, Meric Gertler,

The Municipal Role inThe Municipal Role inThe Municipal Role inThe Municipal Role inMeeting Ontario’sMeeting Ontario’sMeeting Ontario’sMeeting Ontario’sAffordable HousingAffordable HousingAffordable HousingAffordable HousingNeedsNeedsNeedsNeeds

A Handbook for Preparing aCommunity Strategy ForAffordable Housing

A Report Prepared for

The Ontario ProfessionalPlanners Institute

Prepared by: Edward Starr, MCIP, RPPand Christine Pacini

February 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………..i

I INTRODUCTION .............................................1

A) Why OPPI Commissioned This Research.......................1B) How We Approached The Task ......................................1C) Why An Affordable Housing Strategy ..............................1D) What is OPPI’s Definition of Affordable Housing.............6

II HOW TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM: ACOMMUNITY PLANNING APPROACH...........7

A) A Holistic Approach is Crucial .........................................7B) A Community-Based Solution is Needed ........................1C) Planners Should be Front and Centre in the Process .....8D) A Strategic Planning Framework Works Well ..................9E) ‘Tools’ Fall into Nine Fundamental Categories..............10

III WHAT’S CREATIVE ABOUT THISAPPROACH?.................................................12

IV CRAFTING A COMMUNITY AFFORDABLEHOUSING STRATEGY..................................13

A) Achieving Success ........................................................13B) The Strategic Planning Process ....................................18C) Deciding Where to Concentrate Your Efforts ................25

V A ROLE FOR OPPI.......................................27

A) Support Community Affordable Housing Strategies ......27B) Support Changes to Provincial Legislation....................28C) Approach the Province to Provide Assistance to Prepare

Community Affordable Housing Strategies....................28D) Press Senior Levels of Government to Increase Funding

for the Creation of New Affordable Housing ..................28

RESOURCES.......................................................30

Report Prepared for The Ontario Professional Planners InstituteBy Edward Starr, MCIP, RPP & Christine Pacini February 2001

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We wish to thank the Ontario Professional Planners Institute’s(OPPI) members and staff who had a hand in the development ofthis Handbook. In particular, we wish to thank the PolicyDevelopment Committee, the Peer Review Committee, and theindividual members who contributed to the survey conducted byOPPI as part of the process of developing both the EnvironmentalScan and the Handbook.

OPPI Policy Development Committee:

Dave Hardy (Chair) Marni Cappe (Past Chair), Andrea Gabor,Tony Usher, Ann Tremblay, Jeff Celentano, Meric Gertler, JohnHenricks, and Kevin Eby.

Special thanks go to Loretta Ryan, Manager, Policy andCommunications at OPPI, for her valuable assistance and supportthroughout.

The Municipal Role in Meeting Ontario’s Affordable Housing Needs: Executive Summary


i

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARYEstablished in 1986, the OntarioProfessional Planners Institute (OPPI) isthe recognized voice of the Province’splanning profession and provides visionand leadership on key planning issues.The Institute’s 2,400 practicing plannersare employed by government, privateindustry, agencies, and academicinstitutions. Members work in a widevariety of fields including urban and ruralcommunity development, urban design,environment, transportation, health andsocial services, housing, and economicdevelopment.

Why OPPI Commissioned ThisResearchAs part of its new strategic plan initiative toadvance creative solutions for emergingissues in planning policy, the OntarioProfessional Planners Institute (OPPI) hassponsored the development of a Handbookand companion Environmental Scanproviding guidance for municipal plannersand other community partners on thedevelopment of a community strategy foraffordable housing. Based on a survey ofOPPI members and secondary research,these publications set out the process forsuccessfully developing a comprehensivecommunity affordable housing strategy andprovide numerous examples of municipalpractices currently employed in Ontario andelsewhere.

Why An Affordable HousingStrategy?OPPI sponsored this research because ithas province-wide relevance, it could have asubstantial impact on planning and there is apotential for best practice applications at the

community level. It is also considered ahighly relevant initiative because:

1) Ontario is currently facing a growingaffordable housing problem.

2) The landscape of housing responsibilitiesis changing, with municipalities nowthrust into a leadership role.

3) There are social and economic benefits ofa pro-active community strategy foraffordable housing.

4) There is a strong planning rationale for apro-active strategy.

5) Planners have a pivotal role to play in theprocess.

HOW TO TACKLE THEPROBLEM: A COMMUNITYPLANNING APPROACHPrinciples for successfully developing andimplementing a community affordablehousing strategy include:

Holistic Approach is CrucialMeeting affordable housing needs is acomplex problem that cannot be solved withone simple solution. It must be addressedfrom a variety of directions, using a widerange of ideas, tools, and resources.

Community-Based Solution isNeededWith the decline in funding from senior levelsof government, service managers andcommunities will need to seek creativesolutions for the provision of affordablehousing. This does not mean the municipalitymust take on the burden of ‘paying the entirecost’ of meeting the affordable housingneeds of the community --- senior levels of



ii

government, the private sector and othershave a role to play too.

Planners Should be Front andCentre in the ProcessBy the nature of their role, planners possessthe community-based perspective critical tothe successful development of a strategyreflecting the perspectives and inputs of allmembers of the local community.

A Strategic PlanningFramework Works WellA strategic plan can change how we think,act and communicate. It is a highly suitablevehicle for addressing community affordablehousing needs.

‘Tools’ Fall into NineFundamental CategoriesThe range of tools that municipalities andplanners can use to address local affordablehousing needs fall into nine fundamentalcategories, specifically:

• research activity• policy initiatives• regulatory change• financial incentives• administrative measures• advocacy• direct provision• community education• public/private partnerships

Within each category are various conceptsand practices that can be adopted to helpmeet affordable housing needs. Thepractices most suitable for a givencommunity must be identified and integrated

into a comprehensive and consistentstrategy.

WHAT’S CREATIVE ABOUTTHIS APPROACH?Everyone is searching for innovative ways tomeet the affordable housing needs of thecommunity. The variety of tools available tomunicipalities and planners may not be new;however the way in which a communitydetermines the most appropriate practicesand integrates them into a comprehensivestrategy can be both innovative andeffective. The approach suggested in thispaper is comprehensive, consistent andcommunity-based.

CRAFTING A COMMUNITYAFFORDABLE HOUSINGSTRATEGY

The Process and the SuccessFactorsThis Handbook identifies the steps involvedin crafting a successful community affordablehousing strategy and highlights factorsimportant to achieving success.

Deciding Where to ConcentrateYour EffortsCommunities have scarce resources to meetthe range of local affordable housing needs.Accordingly, the effective allocation of theseresources is a key challenge facing thecommunity overall and the municipality inparticular. Approaches and practices mustbe used that are best suited to the localcommunity. The Environmental Scanhighlights some of the practices that may beof interest to many communities and theHandbook points out the general cost/benefit



iii

of each to the municipality. Communitiesmust make careful choices to ensure thegreatest benefit can be achieved with locallyavailable resources.

A ROLE FOR OPPIOPPI has numerous reasons why it maywant to take on a leadership role in workingwith municipalities to meet Ontario’saffordable housing needs. In particular,there is a strong planning rationale for aproactive affordable housing strategy andprofessional planners have a pivotal role toplay in developing local strategies. Keepingthis in mind, the following arerecommendations which OPPI may considerendorsing.

Support Community AffordableHousing StrategiesSome specific actions that OPPI couldundertake to support community affordablehousing strategies include:

• communicating OPPI’s framework andactions of affordable housing to localmunicipalities;

• encouraging OPPI districts to supportthe strategic planning process; and

• helping communities identify potentialsources of funding for thedevelopment of a community strategyfor affordable housing.

Support Changes to ProvincialLegislationA number of municipalities that haveinitiatives in place to stimulate the creation ofaffordable housing in their communities,have identified impediments to involving theprivate sector in affordable housingdevelopment. OPPI could support proposed

changes to the Municipal Act that wouldallow interested municipalities to offerincentives to the private sector in return forthe provision of affordable housing.

Approach the Province toProvide Assistance to PrepareCommunity AffordableHousing StrategiesDeveloping a community strategy foraffordable housing is a labour intensiveprocess. While the Province has transferredthe responsibility for social housing to themunicipal level, there is still a Provincialinterest in ensuring the housing needs of allOntario residents are met. Accordingly,OPPI could advocate for a Provincial role tohelp with the preparation of communityaffordable housing strategies.

Press Senior Levels ofGovernment to IncreaseFunding for the Creation ofNew Affordable HousingAlthough the Environmental Scan identifies awide range of tools available tomunicipalities, current experiences of Ontariomunicipalities have shown that these toolsare insufficient to create enough newaffordable housing to meet the needs in mostcommunities. OPPI could work withmunicipalities to identify funding programsthat could be sponsored by senior levels ofgovernment to increase the supply ofaffordable housing.

The Municipal Role in Meeting Ontario’s Affordable Housing Needs:A Handbook For Preparing A Community Strategy For Affordable Housing

IIII INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

A) Why OPPI Commissioned This Research

As part of its new Strategic Plan initiative to advancecreative solutions for emerging issues in planning policy,the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) hassponsored the development of this Handbook and itscompanion document, The Municipal Role in MeetingOntario’s Affordable Housing Needs: An EnvironmentalScan of Municipal Initiatives and Practices.

B) How We Approached The Task

The Environmental Scan is based on primary researchgathered from an OPPI survey of members conducted inAugust 2000, as well as secondary research of availableinformation on the topic of affordable housing initiatives.The companion Environmental Scan includes informationon:

• history of municipal involvement in affordablehousing;

• changing policy framework;• tools available to municipalities;• legislative framework; and• current practices.

Established in1986, the OntarioProfessionalPlanners Institute(OPPI) is therecognized voice ofthe Province’splanning professionand provides visionand leadership onkey planning issues.The Institute’s 2,400practicing plannersare employed bygovernment, privateindustry, agencies,and academicinstitutions.Members work in awide variety of fieldsincluding urban andrural communitydevelopment, urbandesign, environment,transportation,health and socialservices, housing,and economicdevelopment.

Report Prepared for The Ontario Professional Planners Institute 1By Edward Starr, MCIP, RPP and Christine Pacini

This Handbook was developed using information fromthe Environmental Scan and additional research on thetopic of strategic planning. OPPI’s Policy DevelopmentCommittee provided important guidance throughout thedevelopment of both documents.

C) Why An Affordable Housing Strategy

A policy paper on the municipal role in meeting Ontario’saffordable housing needs meets the principal objective ofOPPI’s new initiative for a number of reasons.



Specifically, this topic has province-wide relevance; itcould have a substantial impact on planning; and there isa potential for best practice applications at the communitylevel.

There are other reasons why this paper advancescreative local solutions for emerging issues in planningpolicy:

1) Affordable Housing is a Growing Problem

The lack of affordable housing is a growing challengeexperienced by many communities, and the problem iscontinuing to escalate. Evidence of this is found in:

• growing waiting lists for subsidized rental housing;

• record low vacancy rates in many communities;

• increases in homelessness as shown by drasticincreases in hostel use and the number of peopleliving on the streets in a number of urban centres; and

• rapidly escalating costs in ownership housing.

This problem is fuelled by a number of factors, including:dramatic cuts in funding for social housing by seniorlevels of government; the inactivity of the private sector inconstructing new rental housing; and the significantdecline in traditional affordable housing alternatives (e.g.rooming houses). High growth areas in Ontario areexperiencing particular difficulty meeting the demands foraffordable housing in their community.

2) The Landscape of Housing Responsibilities isChanging

In the last few years, there has been a significant shift inthe focus of responsibility for ensuring the availability ofaffordable housing to meet the needs of Ontarioresidents. In the past, most municipalities simply reactedto the policies and funding programs initiated by seniorlevels of government to create affordable housing.However, the landscape of responsibilities for ensuringthe availability of affordable housing has changed.



Both the Federal and Provincial Governments havevirtually withdrawn from providing funding for socialhousing. Despite widespread calls by nationalorganizations, such as the Federation of CanadianMunicipalities (FCM), for a return to former levels ofinvolvement by senior government, insufficient responsehas been received to date. The recent introduction of alimited number of Federal and Ontario Governmentinitiatives dealing with homelessness and special needshousing, while welcome, fail to address the significantand growing need for permanent, affordable housing inmany communities in Ontario.

Municipalities have always had a responsibility under thePlanning Act (Section 2J) and the Provincial PolicyStatement to ensure the adequate provision of a fullrange of housing. Faced with the withdrawal of seniorgovernment, municipalities face a much more challengingtask---they must take a much more proactive leadershiprole in addressing the housing needs of their localcommunity.

The current environment presents difficult challenges tomunicipalities. However, it also presents a uniqueopportunity to take on a leadership role in meeting theaffordable housing needs of their communities. Upon thepassing of legislation in the fall of 2000, municipalitiestook over the responsibility for the funding andadministration of social housing in Ontario. With thatresponsibility comes the opportunity to identify otherassociated roles that municipalities can take on to meetaffordable housing needs. Municipal restructuring inmany areas (especially in larger municipalities such asHamilton and Ottawa) provides a timely opportunity tocarefully examine the municipal role in the provision ofaffordable housing and to set in place a well-developed,comprehensive strategy. Changing financialrelationships between different levels of government mayprovide further opportunity for positive action.

In view of the above situation, the need and opportunityfor municipalities to develop coherent, pro-activeapproaches to the provision of affordable housing havenever been greater.

This Handbookshould not be viewed asan endorsement byOPPI of the withdrawalof funding for socialhousing by senior levelsof government. It isbased on the premisethat significant change inhousing responsibilitieshas occurred andregistered professionalplanners (RPP) couldprovide a leadership rolein assistingmunicipalities to meettheir local affordablehousing needs.



3) There are Social, Economic and EnvironmentalBenefits of a Pro-Active Community Strategy forAffordable Housing

The most fundamental benefit of a pro-active communityaffordable housing strategy is the expansion of thecommunity’s capacity to meet the needs of individualsexperiencing difficulty competing in the housing market.With the decline in Federal and Provincial fundingsupport, this has become a necessity in communitiesacross Ontario.

There are also a number of other important social andeconomic benefits to be realized, including:

• helping to ensure the availability of a local labourforce for all types of commercial activity, particularlythe growing range of service sector activities thatdepend on workers from all backgrounds;

• establishing closer ties amongst all segments of thecommunity and reducing disparity among varioussectors;

• bringing stability to the lives of families andindividuals, thereby enhancing the social environmentof the entire community and providing a greateropportunity for these individuals and families tobecome productive members of the community;

• lowering the cost of the local social support system,such as reduced need for emergency shelters andsocial assistance programs; and

• realizing the savings to the entire community fromgreater live/work ratios (e.g. an increased percentageof the labour force working within the communityrather than commuting outside).

4) There is a Strong Planning Rationale for a Pro-Active Strategy

Strategies aimed at providing affordable housing not onlyhelp meet important social and economic needs; theyalso represent good planning.



An effective community affordable housing strategy willsupport important community planning goals by:

• meeting the housing needs of all segments of thepopulation;

• reducing local dependence on outside funding andbuilding a sustainable community-based on localresources;

• promoting initiatives which curb urban sprawl --- e.g.affordable housing generally promotes more intensiveuse of land and space; and

• promoting energy conservation both in urbansettlement patterns and housing development itself(e.g. using less materials because units are smaller).

5) Planners Have a Pivotal Role to Play in the Process

Increased problems meeting affordable housing needs,coupled with the shift in the responsibility for affordablehousing to the local level, presents an importantopportunity for a leadership role for planners acrossOntario.

The planner is the ideal candidate to act as the catalystand co-ordinator for the development of a local affordablehousing strategy:

• planners understand the community and its needs;

• planners understand tools and practices available atthe local level to address affordability;

• many of the tools for change rest in the Planning Act,Official Plans and other planning legislation;

• planners have a tradition of developing housingpolicies and strategies, often as part of the OfficialPlan process;

• planners work in many different disciplines (e.g.municipal housing, land use planning, policy andresearch, planning law, private development) and cancontribute a wide range of ideas from a variety ofperspectives; and



• planners are in the best position to pull the communitytogether towards a common goal.

D) What is OPPI’s Definition of AffordableHousing

Affordable housing means many things to many people.The successful development and implementation of acommunity strategy for affordable housing depends on aclear definition. Defining affordable housing at the onsetwill help ensure that action plans identified in the strategymeet the affordable housing needs of all segments of thepopulation.

In defining affordable housing, there are some keyprinciples that should be addressed. The definition:

• needs to be easily understood and easilyimplemented;

• should be aimed at households with low-to-moderateincomes; and

• needs to take into account local income distributionand demographic characteristics.

To this end, OPPI’s Policy Development Committeesuggests the following definition for affordable housing. Itis based on the commonly used guideline that housingcosts should not exceed 30 percent of householdincome.

For housing to be affordable, a household should notspend more than 30 percent of their income on sheltercosts. Generally, an affordable housing strategy shouldtarget those households whose income falls below themedian household income in their community (e.g.municipality, Census Metropolitan Area or other statisticalarea), with a view to identifying and proposing solutionsfor those households in greatest need.

Communities preparing affordable housing strategiesmay consider this definition and refine it to ensure it suitslocal conditions and needs.



IIIIIIII HOW TO TACKLE THEHOW TO TACKLE THEHOW TO TACKLE THEHOW TO TACKLE THEPROBLEM: A COMMUNITYPROBLEM: A COMMUNITYPROBLEM: A COMMUNITYPROBLEM: A COMMUNITYPLANNING APPROACHPLANNING APPROACHPLANNING APPROACHPLANNING APPROACH

A) A Holistic Approach is Crucial

Meeting affordable housing needs is a complex problemthat cannot be solved with one simple solution. It mustbe addressed from a variety of directions, using a widerange of ideas, tools and resources. To be fully effective,these must be brought together in a comprehensive,coherent and consistent manner. The most meaningfulsolutions must involve all community partners andintegrate mutually supportive concepts, strategies andinitiatives.

Meeting affordable housing needs cannot beaccomplished overnight. It is a long-term process. Itrequires continuous attention, adjustment and action.

B) A Community-Based Solution is Needed

With the decline in funding support from senior levels ofgovernment for the provision of affordable housing, theresponsibility has been thrust squarely upon theshoulders of every local community in Ontario. Ratherthan depending on an array of Federal and Provincialprograms and initiatives, solutions must now come fromthe local level.

This places the municipality at the centre of the process.As the representative of the local community, themunicipality must take on a leadership role.Municipalities are now faced with both the responsibilityand the opportunity of bringing together all segments ofthe community and all available local resources (bothpublic and private) to derive meaningful solutions to localaffordable housing needs.

The legislativeframework whichenables municipalities totake on a leadership rolein meeting the need foraffordable housingincludes the MunicipalAct, Planning Act,Development ChargesAct, Assessment Act,Services ImprovementAct, Social AssistanceReform Act, SocialHousing Reform Act,Business CorporationsAct, F/P Social HousingAgreement, OntarioBuilding Code andNational Housing Act.



As shown in the accompanying Environmental Scan, thisleadership role is nothing new for municipalities. As farback as the earliest days of the 20th century,municipalities were instrumental in a host of initiatives tomeet local needs.

A special opportunity has arisen to move ahead stronglyin this regard. Two types of organizations have beenrecently established to administer human services suchas social housing on behalf of municipalities. In southernOntario, Consolidated Municipal Service Managers(CMSMs) have been created. In northern Ontario,District Social Service Administration Boards (DSSABs)have been put in place.

These organizations may be the appropriate level atwhich to commence the development of local affordablehousing strategies. The role of these organizations asservice managers could be leveraged to develop anaffordable housing strategy for a broader community. Itwill also be important, of course, to bring localmunicipalities and community partners on stream in two-tier systems.

Municipalities possess not only the legislative authorityand range of tools to take on this role, they alsorepresent all elements of the community and by theirnature are charged with protecting the communityinterest.

C) Planners Should be Front and Centre in theProcess

Within the local community, the planner is central to thedevelopment of an effective local strategy for meetingaffordable housing needs. By the nature of their role,planners possess the community-based perspectivecritical to the successful development of a strategyreflecting the perspectives and inputs of all members ofthe local community. They also possess anunderstanding of the full range of affordable housingneeds and the tools available for addressing theseneeds. Planners are in a good position to take acomprehensive approach ensuring a coherent and



consistent strategy is developed and implemented.Accordingly, they should be the catalysts and co-ordinators of such initiatives.

While planners working for municipalities have perhapsthe best opportunity to take on a co-ordinating role in theprocess, planners from all segments of the communityare in a position to make important contributions.Planners can do this by lending perspectives, ideas andenergies to the development of meaningful solutions,both from a public interest point of view and on behalf ofclients/employers, and advocating affordable housingsolutions.

D) A Strategic Planning Framework Works Well

A strategic plan can change how we think, act andcommunicate --- it addresses the future impacts ofpresent decisions. A strategic plan is a highly suitablevehicle for addressing community affordable housingneeds because it:

Provides a long-term perspective – Although short-term progress is crucial, solutions must besustainable;

Gives direction - All community partners mustunderstand where to focus efforts;

Is complex and iterative - Affordable housingsolutions require multiple approaches and ongoingfeedback and adjustment;

Is driven from the outside - Everyone in thecommunity should contribute;

Requires courage and risk taking - Meaningfulsolutions require innovative thinking and difficultdecisions;

Improves service - Successful plans yield clearresults;

Establishes priorities – The most urgent needsrequire the most immediate attention; and



Integrates efforts - Effective affordable housingsolutions require comprehensive, consistentapproaches involving local planners, all municipaldepartments and community partners.

E) ‘Tools’ Fall into Nine Fundamental Categories

The tools that municipalities and planners can use toaddress local affordable housing needs fall into ninefundamental categories. Within each category, there areconcepts and practices that can assist municipalities inmeeting affordable housing needs. The practices mostsuitable for a given community should be identified,analyzed within a local context and integrated into acomprehensive and consistent strategy.

Some of the tools identified in this paper do not lead tothe direct creation of affordable housing (e.g. research,advocacy, education). Nevertheless, they can beimportant building blocks leading to the production ofaffordable housing.

The accompanying Environmental Scan provides moredetail on various concepts and practices that have beenidentified in the course of preparing this paper. While thisprovides a good range of examples, it is not meant to bea fully exhaustive list.

These examples are summarized in the chart on the nextpage.



APPROACHES CONCEPTS & PRACTICES

RESEARCHACTIVITY

• Special Purpose Task Force/Body• Housing Forums• Design Charettes/Ideas Competition• Housing Statements & Studies• Information & Monitoring

POLICYINITIATIVES

• Housing First Policy• Housing Levy

REGULATORYCHANGE

• Second Suites• Density Bonusing• Inclusionary Zoning• Exaction Programs or Housing Linkages• Demolition Control Bylaw• Infill Development• Alternate Development Standards• Performance Based Planning• Streamlining Approval Process

FINANCIALINCENTIVES

• Exemption of Fees (e.g. Dev.Charges)• Special Tax Rates• Redevelopment Incentive Programs• Housing Grants and Loans• Housing Trust Funds & Land Trusts

ADMINISTRATIVEMEASURES

• Direct Administration & Funding of varioushousing programs

ADVOCACY • Housing Task Force• Community Action Plans• Municipal/Housing Sector Activities• Political Leadership

DIRECTPROVISION

• Shareholder of Municipal Not-for-profitHousing Corporations

• Direct Financing

COMMUNITYEDUCATION

• Community Forums• Information Videos

PUBLIC/PRIVATEPARTNERSHIPS

• Demonstration Projects• Proposal Calls• Municipal Not-for-profit/Private Sector

Initiatives


Report Prepared for The Ontario Professional Planners InstituteBy Edward Starr, MCIP, RPP and Christine Pacini

IIIIIIIIIIII WHAT’S CREATIVE ABOUTWHAT’S CREATIVE ABOUTWHAT’S CREATIVE ABOUTWHAT’S CREATIVE ABOUTTHIS APPROACH?THIS APPROACH?THIS APPROACH?THIS APPROACH?

Everyone is searching for innovative ways to meet theaffordable housing needs of the community. The varietyof tools available to municipalities and planners may notbe new; however the way in which a communitydetermines the most appropriate practices and integratesthem into a comprehensive strategy can be bothinnovative and effective. The approach suggested in thispaper is comprehensive, consistent and community-based.

Comprehensive, Consistent,Community-Based Approach

Í Comprehensive

We’ve identified many tools at the planner’s dmore than 45 specific practices have been dethe Environmental Scan. Consider the applicaeach of these (or others you may identify) to ysituation and how they can be combined to forcomprehensive, consistent and fully integrated

A COMMUNITYSTRATEGY

FORAFFORDABLE

HOUSING

COMPREHENSIVE

CONSISTENT-
COMMUNITY
BASED

12

isposal ---scribed inbility of

our localm a strategy.



Remember the importance of establishing an ongoingmonitoring and performance measurement process.

Í Consistent

A holistic approach is needed to develop an effectiveaffordable housing strategy. Consider what others inyour community and local municipality may be doing thatwill complement your strategy. Identify policies or otheractions that may be contradicting your strategy and makechanges.

Í Community-Based

With the municipality as the leader, planners as thecatalysts and all sectors of the community as partners,more meaningful local solutions will emerge. This doesnot mean the municipality must take on the burden of‘paying the entire cost’ of meeting the affordable housingneeds of the community --- senior levels of government,the private sector and others have a role to play too.

It is an opportune time for professional planners tochallenge their local municipalities to take the lead role indeveloping a community strategy for affordable housing.Together, planners across Ontario can play an importantrole in helping communities meet their affordable housingneeds.

IVIVIVIV CRAFTING A COMMUNITYCRAFTING A COMMUNITYCRAFTING A COMMUNITYCRAFTING A COMMUNITYAFFORDABLE HOUSINGAFFORDABLE HOUSINGAFFORDABLE HOUSINGAFFORDABLE HOUSINGSTRATEGYSTRATEGYSTRATEGYSTRATEGY

Assuming that a municipality has decided to develop andimplement a community affordable housing strategy andthe funding is in place to proceed, there are a number ofelements that are important to crafting a successful plan.These are described below.

A) Achieving Success

Crafting a successful community affordable housingstrategy requires more than words on a page. It must be



pro-active (e.g. commits resources, initiates programs,creates partnerships). It must bring together the entirecommunity to work towards a common goal. It is a living,breathing, ongoing process.

Before embarking on the development of the strategy,everyone involved must understand the underlyingfactors critical to the success of such an initiative. Theplanner managing the process, in particular, mustappreciate “what it takes” to achieve meaningful results.

Achieving success in developing an effective communityaffordable housing strategy requires:

r Defining affordable housing in your community upfront

“Affordable housing” can mean different things indifferent communities, depending on their size,location and socio-economic characteristics. Successat meeting affordable housing needs means providinga clear definition upon which to focus efforts.

r Setting fundamental community goals andobjectives

The community must agree at the outset on theoverall vision toward which the plan is aimed and thefundamental goals and objectives to be met in orderto achieve this vision.

r Knowing the facts and where to find them

Effective solutions require a strong understanding ofcurrent and future affordable housing needs and gapsand the reasons for them. Early on in the process,the planner must define the range of data andinformation required to develop this understanding,identify and access the sources for this material anddevelop appropriate frameworks for analysis.

Consider usingthe definition foraffordable housingsuggested by OPPI’sPolicy DevelopmentCommittee as astarting point. Fine-tune this definition tomeet localcircumstances.



r Creating strategic alliances with other planners

Planners from all sectors bring valuable perspectivesand experience to such issues. Alliances should becreated among the local planning community to applythese important resources in the development ofmeaningful local solutions.

r Knowing and involving your partners

Successfully involving community partners meansunderstanding the interests of all local stakeholdersand bringing them into the process in a meaningfulway.

r Bringing service managers and localmunicipalities together.

Given the important roles played by both servicemanagers (e.g. CMSMs, DSSABs) and localmunicipalities, they must be brought together for theplan to succeed. This is particularly important innorthern Ontario where DSSABs are the servicemanagers across many municipalities.

r Bringing Council on board

All members of the municipal council must have a fullunderstanding at the outset of the purpose and natureof the plan and the types of decisions they will bechallenged to make. They should be actively involvedand informed on a regular basis throughout theprocess.

r Ensuring municipal departments pull together

Successfully meeting affordable housing needsmeans ensuring consistency and “buy-in” amongst allmunicipal departments. Having the financedepartment raising development charges or thebuilding department raising construction standardswhile the affordable housing strategy is beingprepared can undermine the process. Differentdepartments bring a variety of perspectives,experience and approaches. All municipal


departments need to be actively involved throughoutand need to support the recommended directions,strategies and plans.

r Understanding tools and legislation

The Environmental Scan outlines nine fundamentaltools at the disposal of municipalities to addresscommunity affordable housing needs—researchactivity, policy initiatives, regulatory change, financialincentives, administrative measures, advocacy, directprovision, education and public/private partnerships.The authority to use these tools flows from a variety ofenabling legislation. All participants need tounderstand the full range of tools and legislation andhow they can be applied within a comprehensive andconsistent framework to achieve meaningful results.

r Choosing practices suited to your community

The Environmental Scan highlights dozens of localcommunity practices at work in Ontario andelsewhere to help meet affordable housing needs.Not all such practices are appropriate or suitable forall communities. These and other practices that maybe identified during the planning process need to beconsidered from a local perspective and the mostsuitable approaches incorporated into the CommunityAffordable Housing Strategy.

r Incorporating more than one approach

Affordable housing needs are complex and varied.So are the solutions. Success means tacklingaffordable housing needs on many fronts with a

Consider someof the innovativepractices localmunicipalities haverecently used:Seattle’s HousingLevy, WaterlooRegion’s AffordableHousingPartnershipsInitiative,Edmonton’sRooming HousingInitiative andToronto’s As-of-Right Second SuiteBylaw.


variety of approaches and initiatives.

r Integrating measures and initiatives

Those measures that are adopted must be wellintegrated into a comprehensive and consistent plangiving rise to a coherent set of actions and initiatives.The planner must ensure this integration is achievedin order for the plan to achieve meaningful results.



r Developing long term and self-sustainingsolutions

Meeting affordable housing needs takes time. Plansmust be aimed at developing self-sustaining solutionsthat will continue to meet needs over time rather than“quick fixes”.

r Testing your plan against your definition

All elements of the plan must be aimed at affordablehousing as defined at the outset of the process.Participants must continually test the plan against thisdefinition to ensure it stays focused and on-track.

r Initiating immediate action plans

The community needs to be motivated and committedin order to achieve local “buy-in” vital to success. Theplan needs to include some immediate actions thatwill show results, excite interest and bring support.

r Committing resources

“All talk and no action” will not bring success. Theplan must clearly identify dollars, staff, timecommitments and other contributions required fromthe municipality and local community partners toimplement recommended action plans. Theseresources must be committed by all parties uponadoption of the plan. There must be a mechanism setin place to ensure commitments are met by allparticipants.

r “Selling” the plan

To achieve buy-in and commitment from the wholecommunity requires designing a communicationsstrategy and then actively getting out into thecommunity to “sell” the plan. The community must bemade aware that the plan is a “homegrown” solutionthat depends entirely on local efforts. The messagemust be delivered to the community that its fate is inits own hands, given the absence of Federal andProvincial support. The community must be



convinced to support difficult and sometimesunpopular local decisions in order to achievemeaningful results.

r Giving the Plan a Life

A successful strategic plan has no ending.Performance must be monitored and results assessedon an ongoing basis. Those measures that areineffective must be modified or eliminated. Newlyemerging ideas and concepts must be consideredand applied where appropriate. Changing affordablehousing needs must continue to be identified andplans adjusted accordingly. A process of regularreview and revision is crucial to sustainability.

B) The Strategic Planning Process

The strategic planning process for developing ameaningful Community Affordable Housing Strategyinvolves a host of important steps and activities. Somemunicipalities may have already taken some of thesesteps and are further ahead. Therefore, some may be ina position to move more quickly than others. Below weoutline the entire process:

1) Select a Project Manager and Project Team

The project manager for the development of the strategicplan should be an individual who is knowledgeable abouthousing policy, socio-economic analysis, municipalstructure and the community planning process. Theindividual should also be enthusiastic, creative, a greatmotivator and a good project manager. A supportingproject team to assist in fact finding, producing materialsand handling day-to-day administrative aspects of theprocess should also be assembled and ready.

2) Establish Reference Committee

This is one of the most critical steps in the process. TheReference Committee must contain a blend of:

• community representation (including local politicians)

Consider appointinga registered professionalplanner (RPP) as theproject manager. Aplanner employed by orclosely affiliated with themunicipality is the logicalchoice to be the projectmanager for thedevelopment of thestrategic plan.



• technical expertise (in as many of the nine categoriesof ‘tools’ as possible);

• differing sectors (e.g. public, private, not-for-profit)

• a wide range of municipal departments (e.g. planning,housing, real estate/property, finance, legal,community services)

• communications ability

Members of the Reference Committee must seethemselves as not only the drivers of the process, but ateam with the courage to challenge the community andthe commitment to stand behind their ideas.

The project manager must consult with individuals acrossthe community to identify those persons capable ofbringing the above elements to the Reference Committeeand prepared to make the necessary commitment to theprocess.

3) Develop Terms of Reference for ReferenceCommittee and Project Team

All participants need a clear understanding of their rolesand responsibilities. The project manager must carefullydefine these at the outset to ensure all participants willknow what is expected of them. The terms of referencemust also set out clear guidelines on process—e.g. flowof information, reporting channels, decision-making,communications protocol and so on. Terms ofReference should be reviewed and finalized by themembers of the Reference Committee and Project Team.

4) Conduct a Visioning Session

The community must see a vision of what this plan istrying to achieve. At the outset of the process, theReference Committee must articulate this vision,including determining a clear definition of affordablehousing as the underlying basis for the plan. TheReference Committee must set out broad goals andobjectives crucial to achieving the vision. These shouldbe immediately communicated across the community, sothat all efforts can be pointed in this direction.

Consider holdingyour visioning sessionin a location other thanthe local municipaloffices. It is importantthat participants arenot distracted by otherwork so that they canconcentrate ondeveloping a wellthought out vision forthe strategic plan.



5) Undertake Fact Finding

A key success factor in developing a strategic plan isknowing the facts—identifying needs, understandinggaps, and projecting future trends. The project manager,reference committee and project team should all beactively involved in this step to develop a first-handunderstanding of the facts and to be better able tocommunicate them to the community.

Data sources should be identified early on and pursuedaggressively. Emphasis should be placed on localsources and observations wherever possible, rather thanrelying strictly on broad-based measures and statistics.Information must be as up-to-date as possible. Get outand talk to people, visit problem areas, conductdiscussion sessions, organize focus groups.

6) Hold a Public Information Sharing Session

When the vision has been defined and fact findingcompleted, hold a widely advertised public informationsharing session. This will help establish linkages with thecommunity, spread awareness about the facts, testreaction to the vision developed by the referencecommittee and identify potential community partners andresources.

7) Crystallize the Issues

The vision has been defined, facts have been gathered,needs identified and community viewpoints expressed.From this process, a set of issues will emerge around therange of affordable housing needs facing the community.These issues need to be clearly defined and understoodby all participants and by the community as a whole.They will ultimately form the framework around whichstrategies will be developed.

8) Identify Community Partners and Strategies toCommunicate with Partners

Identify specific community partners who can make adifference—private developers, not-for-profit housingproviders, social agencies, corporate supporters, mediarepresentatives, architects and planners, service clubs,

A personal invitationfrom the Mayor to keycommunity partners mayalso help to ensure goodattendance at the publicinformation session.



religious organizations, ratepayer groups, prominentindividuals. Develop strategies for communicating withthem and convincing them of their potential role inaddressing various issues and achieving the vision.

9) Establish Subcommittees to Develop Action PlansFor Each Issue

The most effective approach to strategic plandevelopment is one which focuses on key issues andsets in place a series of directions and initiatives for eachissue. These are then pulled together into acomprehensive and consistent strategy.

Depending on the size of the Reference Committee, itcould be organized into subcommittees responsible foraddressing each issue. Each subcommittee should alsocontain a member of the project team. The projectmanager should actively contribute to as manysubcommittees as possible. Additional communitypartners should be recruited to participate insubcommittees where appropriate in order to enhancethe potential for achieving meaningful solutions.

10) Develop Action Plans

Each subcommittee should examine their issue in depth,determine what directions are most appropriate forresolving the issue, identify which tools and practices willbe most effective in achieving the desired directions andset out specific action plans to be implemented.

11) Integrate Action Plans into a ComprehensiveAffordable Housing Strategy

The project manager, assisted by the ReferenceCommittee and project team, must then pull together theindividual action plans into a comprehensive affordablehousing strategy. All action plans must be reviewed forconsistency to ensure no conflicting approaches arebeing recommended.

Consider using aprofessional facilitator tohelp the ReferenceCommittee and projectteam to integrate theindividual action plans in aconsistent way.



12) Identify Specific Responsibilities, Partners,Resources, Timelines and Expected Results

These action plans must identify specific responsibilities,community partners to be involved, required resources,timelines, and expected results. Again, the projectmanager is primarily responsible for ensuring these plansare well integrated, consistent and mutually supportive.

13) Hold a Public Forum

When the draft comprehensive affordable housingstrategy has been developed and resources identified,hold a widely advertised public forum. Local councillorsshould be invited to this public forum and, if appropriate,requested to speak in support of the strategy. This willhelp establish further linkages with the community,spread awareness about the facts, communicate anunderstanding of the issues, test reaction to the actionplan and confirm community partners and resources.The local councillors and the community as a wholeshould be invited to provide comments on the proposedstrategy.

14) Finalize Community Affordable Housing Strategy

Comments received from local councillors and thecommunity must be incorporated into the final affordablehousing strategy to be implemented by the localcommunity.

15) Develop and Implement a Communication Strategyto Sell the Plan

“Selling” the plan is as important as creating the plan.The entire community must see the plan as a positiveand necessary step in meeting important local needs.Those being asked to contribute resources must bemotivated and committed to come forward. Those beingchallenged to make difficult decisions must be convincedto make them.

The Reference Committee should determine the bestapproaches for communicating the contents of the plan tothe community and actively seek buy-in. Typicalapproaches might include press releases, local radio and

Consider inviting akeynote speaker tolaunch the public forum.



television sessions, printing and distributing easy-to-readmaterials, speaking engagements by members of theReference Committee, Council presentations, and so on.

16) Establish Monitoring Process

A strategic plan is not static. The effectiveness ofstrategies and action plans must be measured andapproaches revised as appropriate. Changing needs andissues must be identified. Further resources must befound. New concepts and practices must be identifiedand applied. The plan must contain a monitoring processwhich will be undertaken on an ongoing basis

The illustration on the next page brings together theidentified process and key elements of a communityaffordable housing strategy.

Consider developingan annual report card onaffordable housing,similar to onesdeveloped by somemunicipalities to tracktheir progress inaddressinghomelessness.



Process & Elements of a Community Affordable Housing Strategy

SelectPROJECT MANAGER & TEAM

EstablishCOMMUNITY REFERENCE COMMITTEE

DevelopTERMS OF REFERENCE

ConductVISIONING SESSION

UndertakeFACT FINDING

HoldPUBLIC INFO SHARING SESSION

CrystallizeAFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES

IdentifyCOMMUNITY PARTNERS

EstablishSUBCOMMITTEES

DevelopACTION PLANS

IntegrateACTION PLANS INTO A STRATEGY

IdentifyRESOURCES, TIMELINES & RESULTS

HoldPUBLIC FORUM

FinalizeAFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY

Develop & ImplementCOMMUNICATION STRATEGY

EstablishMONITORING PROCESS

defineaffordable

housing

know the facts& where to find

them

know & involveyour community

partners

create allianceswith otherplanners

understand tools& legislation

incorporatemore than one

approach

develop longterm & self-sustainingsolutions

commitresources

‘sell’ the plan

give the plana life

initiateimmediate

action plans

integratemeasures &initiatives

test your planagainst yourdefinition

choose practicessuited to your

community

ensure municipaldepartments pull

together

bring council onboard

set goals &objectives

know & involveyour community

partners

bring togetherservice manager &local municipalities



C) Deciding Where to Concentrate Your Efforts

Local communities have scarce resources to meet therange of local needs. Accordingly, the effective allocationof these resources is a key challenge facing thecommunity overall and the municipality in particular.

Not all practices will have a similar impact on everycommunity. For example, the practice of densitybonusing to raise funds for affordable housing, while oflow cost, will not be very effective in a community wherethere is little new commercial or industrial development.

The chart on the next page highlights some of thepractices that may be of interest to many communitiesand points out the general cost/benefit of each.Communities must make careful choices to ensure thegreatest benefit can be achieved with locally availableresources.

The practices and approaches identified below are the‘tools’ available to local municipalities; however, theremay be limitations to the extent that a municipality mayemploy these tools. For example, provisions in theMunicipal Act prohibit municipalities from providing grantsor any other form of benefit to private developers toencourage them to build affordable housing. In addition,the cost of some tools may be too expensive for a givencommunity’s property tax base to finance (e.g. directprovision or financing of affordable housing). In thesecases, local municipalities may want to use the advocacyapproach. This approach can be used to encouragesenior levels of government to consider changinglegislation or providing some form of capital or ongoingfunding to meet the affordable housing needs ofcommunities in Ontario.



Municipal Cost/Benefit of Selected Practices

PRACTICES DIRECT COST BENEFITLOW MED HIGH RURAL URBAN GROWING

URBAN

Housing First Policy X MED MED MED

Second Suites X LOW MED MED-HIGH

Housing Levy X MED HIGH HIGH

Inclusionary Zoning X LOW HIGH HIGH

Density Bonusing X LOW HIGH HIGH

Demolition Control X LOW MED LOW

Exaction Programs X LOW HIGH HIGH

Infill X LOW HIGH MED

Alternate DevelopmentStandards

X LOW MED HIGH

Streamlining ApprovalProcess

X LOW MED HIGH

Performance BasedPlanning

X LOW MED MED

Exemption of DC &Other Fees

X LOW MED HIGH

Tax Credits X LOW HIGH HIGH

Grants & Loans X MED HIGH HIGH

Trust Funds X MED MED MED

Advocacy X MED MED MED

Direct Provision X HIGH HIGH HIGH

Public/PrivatePartnerships

X HIGH HIGH HIGH



VVVV A ROLE FOR OPPIA ROLE FOR OPPIA ROLE FOR OPPIA ROLE FOR OPPI

As mentioned in the introduction, OPPI has numerousreasons why it may want to take on a leadership role inworking with municipalities to meet Ontario’s affordablehousing needs. In particular, there is a strong planningrationale for a proactive affordable housing strategy andprofessional planners have a pivotal role to play indeveloping local strategies. Keeping this in mind, thefollowing are recommendations which OPPI mayconsider endorsing:

A) Support Community Affordable HousingStrategies

There are a number of ways that OPPI can encourageand support community strategies for affordable housing.In particular, OPPI can play an important role in movingcommunities along the strategic planning process, so thatlocal communities can focus their efforts on action plans.Some specific actions that OPPI could undertake tosupport community affordable housing strategies include:

• communicating OPPI’s framework and actions ofaffordable housing to service managers and localmunicipalities

• encouraging OPPI districts to initiate the strategicplanning process by, for example, organizingworkshops across the province to inform localdecision-makers on how to craft a comprehensive,consistent, community-based strategies

• helping communities identify potential sources offunding for the development of a community strategyfor affordable housing



B) Support Changes to Provincial Legislation

A number of municipalities that have initiatives in place tostimulate the creation of affordable housing in theircommunities, have identified impediments to involvingthe private sector in affordable housing development.The current Municipal Act (section 111) specificallyprohibits a municipal body from offering incentives to anyfor-profit entity (this if often called bonusing). This meansthat municipalities are unable to partner with developersin the creation of affordable housing through the offeringof reductions in fees, lot levies and other developmentcharges. OPPI could support proposed changes to theMunicipal Act that would allow interested municipalities tooffer incentives to the private sector in return for theprovision of affordable housing.

C) Approach the Province to Provide Assistanceto Prepare Community Affordable HousingStrategies

Developing a community strategy for affordable housingis a labour intensive process. It requires dedicatedcommunity resources (e.g. staff or consultants) to co-ordinate the work of the reference committee, undertakethe background research, and present the action plans ina comprehensive report. While the ProvincialGovernment has transferred the responsibility for socialhousing to the municipal level, there is still a Provincialinterest in ensuring the housing needs of all Ontarioresidents are met. Accordingly, OPPI could advocate fora Provincial role to help with the preparation ofcommunity affordable housing strategies.

D) Press Senior Levels of Government toIncrease Funding for the Creation of NewAffordable Housing

Although the paper identifies a wide range of toolsavailable to municipalities, current experiences of Ontariomunicipalities have shown that these tools are insufficientto create enough new affordable housing required in



most communities. In addition, few new affordablehousing units are being developed that meet therequirements of the neediest households in Ontario.Capital or ongoing funding is required from senior levelsof government to create new affordable housing to meetthe needs of low-income households. OPPI could workwith municipalities to identify funding programs that couldbe sponsored by senior levels of government to increasethe supply of affordable housing in Ontario. Oneapproach could be to advocate for the expansion ofexisting programs, such as the province’s rentsupplement program or CMHC’s residential rehabilitationassistance programs (e.g. create a residentialconstruction assistance program).


RESOURCESRESOURCESRESOURCESRESOURCES

1. Bula, Frances. Atkinson Fellowship Series. Toronto:The Toronto Star. October 1999.

2. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. A Guideto Land Trusts and Affordable Housing in Canada:Land for our Future. Ottawa: CMHC. 1995.

3. City of Calgary. Community Action Plan: ReducingHomelessness in Calgary. 1999.

4. City of Toronto. Toronto at the Crossroads: ShapingOur Future. City of Toronto Urban DevelopmentServices. 2000.

5. Drdla, Richard & Associates Inc. Municipal RegulatoryInitiatives: Providing Affordable Housing. Ottawa:CMHC. 1999.

6. Drdla, Richard & Associates Inc. Housing TrustFunds. CMHC. 2000. (unpublished)

7. Federation of Canadian Municipalities. NationalHousing Policy Options Paper: A Call for Action.June 1999.

8. Katsuyama, Byron and Madrone, Brooke. AffordableHousing Techniques: A Primer for Local GovernmentOfficials. Municipal Research & Services Centre ofWashington. 1992.

9. Kraus, Deborah. Municipal Initiatives in AffordableHousing. Ottawa: CMHC. 1993.

10. Lapointe, Linda, Millier Lauren, Spafford, Greg.Guide to Affordable Housing Partnerships. Ottawa:CMHC. 1998.

11. Mayor’s Homelessness Action Task Force. TakingResponsibility for Homelessness: An Action Plan forToronto. Toronto: City of Toronto. January 1999.

12. Pacini, Christine. Municipal Affordable HousingInitiatives: Environmental Scan. Prepared for theRegional Municipality of York. February 2000.


13. Pomeroy, Steve. Municipalities Providing NewLeadership in Affordable Housing. Ottawa: CanadianHousing. Spring 1999.

14. Pomeroy, Steve, et al. The Role of Public-PrivatePartnerships in Producing Affordable Housing:Assessment of the U.S. Experience and Lessons forCanada. Ottawa: CMHC. 1998.

15. Region of Ottawa-Carleton. The Community ActionPlan to Prevent and End Homelessness in Ottawa-Carleton – Update 2000. Prepared by Policy,Planning and Performance Management ServicesBranch, Strategic and Operational SupportDirectorate, Social Services, Region of Ottawa-Carleton. July 2000.

16. Starr, Edward. Toronto, City of Homes, MastersThesis. York University. 1975.

17. The Canadian Centre for Public-Private Partnershipsin Housing. Partnership Courier. Ottawa: CMHC.Volume 9 No.2 June 2000.

18. Tomalty, Ray, Hercz Anna, Peter Spurr. MunicipalPlanning for Affordable Housing. Ottawa: CMHC.1999.

Documents

The Municipal Role in Meeting Ontario s Affordable Housing ... · Dave Hardy (Chair) Marni Cappe (Past Chair), Andrea Gabor, Tony Usher, Ann Tremblay, Jeff Celentano, Meric Gertler,