[homeles_ot-l] City's points on housing to AMO

Tue Aug 25 13:32:48 EDT 2009

FYI - below and attached is the document the Ottawa Citizen published re
local officials' private briefing notes on Housing. They were sent out by
Jennefer Laidley

Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator at Income Security
Advocacy Centre (ISAC)

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/08/24
/private-amo-briefing-notes-housing.aspx

Lynne

Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)

147 Besserer St., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7

613-241-7913, ext. 205

www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca <http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/> 

Private
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/08/2
4/private-amo-briefing-notes-housing.aspx>  AMO Briefing Notes: Housing

By Kenneth_Gray
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/members/Kenneth_5F00_Gray/defau
lt.aspx>  Ottawa Citizen 08-24-2009 COMMENTS(0)
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/08/2
4/private-amo-briefing-notes-housing.aspx#comments>  The
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/default.aspx>
Bulldog 

Filed under: Larry
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/tags/Larr
y+O_2700_Brien/default.aspx>  O'Brien, City
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/tags/City
+of+Ottawa/default.aspx>  of Ottawa, mayor
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/tags/mayo
r/default.aspx> , Housing
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/tags/Hous
ing/default.aspx> , city
<http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/tags/city
+council/default.aspx>  council 

The following are private brief notes obtained by the Ottawa Citizen
prepared by civic officials at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario
meetings last week in Ottawa: For use during the meeting with the Minister
of Municipal Affairs and Housing, August 2009 during the AMO Conference 

Council Attendees: Mayor, Councillors Diane Deans, Peggy Feltmate, Diane
Holmes, Alex Cullen
Staff Attendees: City Manager Kent Kirkpatrick, Stephen Arbuckle, A/Manager
Housing Services

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

.    The City of Ottawa appreciates the opportunity to speak with the
Minister about housing since we know this is an issue that we both care
about passionately.
.    The City's Housing Strategy, approved by Council in November 2007, is
based on a 3-pronged approach:

o    Building healthy, inclusive, sustainable communities,
o    Promoting and preserving affordable housing, and
o    Meeting the need for Supports in Housing.

The City needs the Province to develop a long-term affordable housing
strategy that promotes an integrated and seamless housing continuum.
.    Our Council approved Housing Strategy (2007) takes the position that:

"Housing is fundamental to the economic, social and physical well being of
Ottawa's residents and communities". Furthermore, "Housing is a basic human
need, and is the central place from which we build our lives, nurture
ourselves and our children and engage in our communities."

.    We are interested in a dialogue that focuses both on immediate
solutions to address the housing needs of Ontario's vulnerable adults and
families, and on the creation of a longer term strategy.
.    The Ministry is to be applauded for its current focus on affordable
housing and its commitment to develop a long-term affordable housing
strategy for all Ontarians.  
.    We welcome the consultation being undertaken by the Minister to create
a long-term affordable housing strategy - the City has participated in these
sessions and will be sending in a formal submission to the Minister later
this Fall.

Summary of City of Ottawa Proposals to the Minister of MMAH

There are several points that we would like to highlight for the Minister.
We will build on the 3-pronged approach from the City's Housing Strategy and
highlight the key messages we would like to discuss today, under each of the
three Directions.

The City is proposing that:

Direction 1 - Building healthy, inclusive, sustainable communities 

1.1    Inclusionary Planning

.    Amendments to the provincial legislation to modify the Planning Act to
explicitly provide municipalities with the discretionary authority to
implement inclusionary Planning for affordable housing.  

Direction 2 - Promoting and preserving affordable housing

2.1    New Affordable Housing

.    Future programs should include an ability to acquire and reposition
existing rental housing to meet low-income households needs

.    An immediate infusion of $204 million to build or acquire 1,700 new
affordable units to make up the difference between the target of 500 new
units per year and what the City has been able to achieve since 2004.

.    $60 million per year is needed to meet the annual ongoing target of 500
units per year.

.    Flexible funding programs to allow the use of funds to meet local
priority needs and opportunities.

2.2.    Operating Agreements

.    Amendments to legislation to ensure publicly funded non-profit and
cooperative housing remains as social housing even after the operating
agreements expire.

2.3    Maintenance of Existing Housing

.    A significant contribution from the provincial and federal governments
to address OCHC outstanding repair and lifecycle requirements, which is
estimated at $160 M. 

.    An additional  $18 M/year capital funding for non-profit / coop
providers, including OCHC, for ongoing capital repairs; and this is after
they have been able to address current deferred capital repair work.

2.4    Supporting Housing Supply Policies with Income Related Policies

.    As part of the Provincial Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Province
address the affordability gap by increasing rent supplement and housing
allowance programs.

.    Provincial indexing of the minimum wage and social assistance rates to
annual cost of living increases.

Direction 3 - Meeting the Need for Supports in Housing

3.1    Supportive Housing

.    $50 million capital funding over 3 years to add to the stock of
supportive housing 

.    Expansion of the domiciliary hostel funding program to promote more
flexibility in responding to increasing needs related to supportive housing.

.    Improved collaboration and coordination among the Ministries of
Municipal Affairs and Housing, Community and Social Services, and Health and
Long Term Care to develop housing and support services.  

Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)

147 Besserer St., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7

613-241-7913, ext. 205

www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca <http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/> 

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