CMHC - Advancing Affordable Housing Solutions

CANADA MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORPORATION

Advancing Affordable Housing Solutions

Resources to Create Housing in a Community

Presented by Francine DiMambro

Development of a Housing Action Plan

Canadian Housing Affordability Resources:


Acquiring andrenovating building

Expedited approval process

Parkland dedication fees

Affordable housing strategy Contributions and loans Public–private

Partnerships

Allowing infillHousing agreements

fornew development

Redeveloping/converting

non-residentialbuildings/sites

Comprehensivedevelopment zoning Housing fund Resale price restrictions

Designing flexibleHousing Housing organization Retaining affordable

housing

Donating landor facilities Inclusionary zoning Secondary and

garden suites

Encouraging buildingenergy efficient

housingIntensification Using development

levies

Encouragingsmaller units Land banking Waiving or reducing

property taxes



Nine Commonly Used Resources:

1. Contributions and loans2. Housing fund3. Housing organization4. Inclusionary zoning5. Intensification 6. Land banking and providing land7. Public-private partnerships8. Resale price restrictions 9. Secondary and garden suites



1. Contributions and loans: Contribution:

Financial award allocated on the merit of the project.

Provided by a federal or provincial governmental agency, a program, a corporation, a charity, etc.

Does not need to be repaid.

Requires recipient to be compliant and report on the work being done.

Loan: Similar to a contribution. Major difference - funds have to be repaid, either

partially or completely, over time.

Example: Abe Zakem House, Charlottetown.

Source: CMHC



2. Housing fund:

An account set up by a municipality or a regional district to receive funds that will be used to create affordable housing.

Funds can come from property taxes or cash-in-lieu of providing affordable housing units as part of rezoning, which may include a density bonus.

Provides a way for large and small developers to contribute to the creation of affordable housing.

Example: Housing Opportunity Partnership (HOP), Winnipeg.



3. Housing organization:

An entity dedicated to providing and managing housing stock that is for rent or purchase by qualified individuals and families.

Can be a repository for affordable housing units created through density bonus, inclusionary zoning and a housing fund, and also monitor affordable housing needs in a community.

Can serve one or more municipalities, even a region. Can be run by a local government, or be an

independent non-profit society, cooperative or corporation.

Example: Almon Place, Halifax.

4. Inclusionary zoning: Many Canadian

municipalities have adopted policies requiring that a certain percentage of new construction be affordable housing.

Other policies require an affordable housing component as part of a rezoning.



Can be off-site construction or cash-in-lieu. Linkage programs.

Example: District of Ucluelet, British Columbia.

Source: CMHC



5. Intensification: Redevelopment of existing neighbourhoods,

corridors or commercial areas at higher densities. Helps to achieve affordability, reduce automobile

reliance and promote healthy interactions within a community.

Municipalities, in partnership with local stakeholders and/or other levels of government, can significantly contribute to the intensification of existing urban areas using a wide variety of tools at their disposal.

Tools can include financial incentives (i.e.: grants, tax credits, waiving development charges, etc.), flexible zoning, marketing vacant lands, mediation, etc.

Example: City of Québec.

6. Land banking and providing land: Land banking is the

acquisition of property by an organization or a local government in anticipation of developing housing units on the site in the future.

Housing organizations can acquire land at little or no cost.

May be held for future housing development.



Source: CMHC

Example: Waterfront Development Corporation, Halifax.

6. Land banking and providing land: (continued)

Providing land includes donation of land, selling it below market value, or leasing it at a nominal fee to non-profit or faith-based organizations.

Example: Pocket Housing, Winnipeg.



Source: MMM Group

7. Private-public partnership: When a private sector

organization works with a government agency or a non-profit association to provide a service or community amenity.

Objective: Combine the private sector acumen and expertise with the public sector resources and accountability to construct housing.

Example: Saint John Non-Profit Housing Inc. & Carpenters Training Centre Partnership, Saint John.CANADA MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORPORATION




8. Resale price restrictions:

Limit resale price of homes initially sold by local governments, housing organizations or developers at a price lower than market value.

Often synonymous with the term “perpetually affordable housing”, meaning that these restrictions will apply forever.

Example: Clarence Gate, Ottawa.



9. Secondary and garden suites: Secondary suite – a dwelling unit which is

separate from the principal dwelling. Garden suite – a small dwelling without a

basement placed on the same lot as the principal dwelling.

Both are self-contained – they provide living, sleeping, eating, food preparation, and bathroom facilities.

Example: City of Saskatoon.



FIND YOUR WAY

To get results, start with clear goalsand the courage to follow where they lead!

THANK YOU

www.cmhc.ca/affordablehousing

Real Estate

CMHC - Advancing Affordable Housing Solutions