Peter Tonazzo, the city’s planning director, will propose a different, more incentive-based approach. The 30 percent requirement was in Sault Ste. Marie’s official design since 1996. According to Tonazzo, it was “the result of the relatively short-lived Comprehensive Set of Policy Statements, which was adopted by the provincial government of Bob Rae and later repealed by the Mike Harris government.” “While many of the policies contained in the Comprehensive Policy Statements were carried over into subsequent provincial policy statements, the specific requirement that ‘at least 30 per cent of new housing units created through development and intensification shall provide opportunities to be affordable housing’ was not,” says Tonazzo. “It is possible that in 1996, achieving specified affordability may have been possible without additional subsidies. Also at that time, more subsidies were available from higher levels of government to achieve 30 percent affordability in new construction.” As SooToday reported Friday, Tonazzo will propose Monday to drop the 30 percent affordable housing requirement for a proposed 376-apartment and townhouse development near the Giant Tiger store. In a separate application to the city council, Tonazzo will ask that the existing housing policies be removed from the official plan and replaced with the following: Economical residence Affordable housing plays a vital role in the city’s housing supply. The City encourages and supports the provision of affordable housing throughout the community. For the purposes of the Official Plan, affordable housing is defined as: In case of owner-occupied housing, the least expensive of:
Housing for which the purchase price results in annual living costs not exceeding 30 percent of the gross annual income of low- and moderate-income households Homes for which the purchase price is at least 10 percent below the median purchase price of a resale unit in the regional market area
In the case of a rental home, the least expensive of:
A unit for which the rent does not exceed 30 percent of the household’s gross annual income for low- and moderate-income households; or, A unit for which the rent is equal to or below the average market rent for a unit in the regional market area.
Low and moderate income households:
In the case of home ownership, households with incomes in the lowest 60 percent of the income distribution for the regional market area. the, In the case of rental housing, households with incomes in the lowest 60 percent of the income distribution for rental households for the regional market area
To encourage affordable housing, the city will ensure that at least 30 percent of all housing is affordable by:
Providing additional incentives to provide affordable housing, through a community improvement plan, which may include waivers of planning applications (zoning, site plan review) fees, grants and tax credits Support a mix of housing types, including infill development and residential intensification Support for the creation of auxiliary housing units Supporting innovative housing design such as smaller units (tiny houses) and alternative development patterns such as reduced lot frontages, setbacks and parking requirements Conduct continuous monitoring at affordable price levels Maintain a current, comprehensive understanding of affordable housing financing opportunities and assist applicants in accessing such financing Prioritize the review and processing of development proposals that include affordable housing Partnering with non-profit stakeholders who provide affordable and supportive housing Provision of municipal land for affordable housing Favoring locating large new housing developments with affordable units within walking distance of amenities such as public transit, grocery stores, parks and other public services
Councilors will be asked to create a local housing task force that will include relevant city staff (planning, finance and buildings), social services staff, other non-profit housing providers and two council members.
Monday’s City Council meeting will be broadcast live on SooToday beginning at 4:30 p.m
