[homeles_ot-l] Fwd: HNO update: Provincial affordable housing strategy fails 5 Tests

[Terrie]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Yutaka Dirks (ACTO) <dirksy at lao.on.ca>
Date: 1 December 2010 15:56
Subject: HNO update: Provincial affordable housing strategy fails 5 Tests
To: "Yutaka Dirks (ACTO)" <dirksy at lao.on.ca>


 *After delays, provincial government releases affordable housing strategy,
but it fails the Housing Network of Ontario’s 5 Tests*

The Ontario government released its much anticipated Long-term Affordable
Housing Strategy on Monday, November 29 but the document failed to provide a
plan that meets all five basic tests set out by the Housing Network of
Ontario and its almost 500 supporters across the province.

"The Ontario government has proposed some new legislation and administrative
procedures that are useful and important, but the essential items for a
long-term affordable housing plan - targets, timeline, and most of all
funding over a multi-year period - are missing. It's like they've put up the
scaffolding, but then forgot to give the workers the tools that they need to
get the job done," says Michael Shapcott, co-Chair of the Housing Network of
Ontario. "By the end of this fiscal year, capital funding for new affordable
housing is set to shrink to zero. Investment in building new homes and
repairing existing rundown housing not only helps the people living in that
housing, but also provides a solid boost to the economy, including jobs and
even additional tax revenue for the government."

"The government's promise to more effectively measure affordable housing and
issue annual reports is helpful, but without specific targets, timelines and
funding, it's hard to provide accountability for results. Thousands of
Ontarians took part in public consultations last year, calling for sustained
funding to build at least 10,000 affordable new homes annually and better
maintenance of existing housing; a universal housing benefit; support
services to make housing truly affordable and accessible; changes to housing
legislation; proper accountability; and clear ways to measure progress in
the fight against housing-related poverty," says Shapcott.

There are 141,635 Ontario households on the waiting list for affordable
housing with a wait of up to 21 years. Census data indicates that 1 in every
5 tenant households in Ontario pays over 50% of their income on rent and
626,255 households in Ontario are unable to find acceptable housing that
costs 30% or less of their income.

"The decision to scrap the cruel and administratively burdensome Social
Housing Reform Act is a big step forward, but other legislative changes are
needed also, including stronger tenant protection laws and inclusionary
housing rules to allow municipalities to require a percentage of all new
developments to be set aside for affordable housing," says Shapcott.
"There's plenty of unfinished business to complete before the Ontario
government can turn its current proposal into a truly comprehensive
long-term affordable housing plan."

For more information about the Housing Network of Ontario including our ‘5
Tests for Success for a long-term affordable housing strategy’ and links to
media coverage of the launch see: www.stableandaffordable.com

To read the Long-term Affordable Housing Strategy see:
http://news.ontario.ca/mah/en/2010/11/building-a-better-affordable-housing-system.html

The following chart shows how the strategy measures up to the 5 Tests set by
the Housing Network of Ontario.



*Test one: Bold targets and sustained funding *

*A Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy must ensure an adequate supply of
quality, affordable housing for Ontarians, supported by multi-year financial
commitments. The Ontario government should commit to: *

o Funding a housing program that creates a minimum of 10,000 universally
accessible affordable non-profit and co-op developed housing units annually
for 10 years.

o Provide funding so that at least 50% of these units can provide “rent
geared to income” assistance.

o Create an annualized fund to repair & maintain existing and new affordable
housing units.

o Make government land available for affordable housing.

o Create innovative financing options and enhance existing loan funds for
developers of affordable housing.

o Strengthen the development and technical capacity of the affordable
housing sector.



*What’s in** **the strategy:** *

 No new funding

 No multi-year commitment

 No innovative financing options

 No strengthening of development / technical capacity of sector



*Test two: A solid measuring stick *

*An effective Housing Strategy requires a solid foundation of accurate
evidence about the scale of housing insecurity and homelessness in Ontario
and a clear way to measure progress. Housing measures must track progress on
whether actions taken under the Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy are: *

o Systematically reducing the number of households on the wait list for
affordable housing in all regions of Ontario;

o Addressing the housing affordability problem through consistent annual
reductions in the percentage of Ontario tenants spending 30% or more of
income on housing;

o Improving access to suitable and adequate affordable housing for members
of marginalized groups, including Aboriginal People, communities of colour,
people with disabilities and mental health issues, lone mothers and people
living in rural and northern communities.

o Consistently reducing the number of Ontario households in core housing
need, the number of households facing eviction due to high rent costs, and
the number of Ontarians in homeless shelters.



*What’s in **the strategy:** *

 Ontario Housing Measure only covers families with children – the rest of
Ontarians left out

 Federal decision to cancel Long Form Census will make it harder to measure
Core Housing Need



*Test three: Accountability *

*Ontario’s Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy needs to be kept on track,
and the plan must remain accountable to the people it intends to serve.
Accountability measures should include: *

o Annual public reporting on progress.

o Committing to ongoing public consultation, as the plan unfolds.

o Improved coordination of housing and related programs between Ministries
to ensure the best possible outcomes for Ontarians in housing need.

o Local control of program design and delivery to suit local needs.

o Setting up a Residents Review Committee that is equitably representative
of people who have experienced housing insecurity, along with grassroots
leaders and experts.

o Appointing a full-time Minister of Housing to ensure affordable housing is
a government priority.

* *

*What’s in **the strategy:** *

 Promise of annual reports

 Province says municipalities will have to engage community

 Significant step towards local program design and delivery

 Current minister must share housing and municipal affairs responsibilities

* *

*Test four: Make housing truly affordable and accessible *

*All Ontarians should be able to access housing they can afford, and
supports should be provided to ensure equitable thriving, inclusive
communities. *

o Introduce a monthly Universal Housing Benefit for low income Ontarians to
close the gap between low incomes and high housing costs.

o Expand the priority list for social housing to include equity seeking
community members: Aboriginal People, communities of colour, people with
disabilities and mental health issues, lone mothers, and others facing
discrimination by landlords.

o Fund retrofits to ensure older units are accessible for people with
disabilities, and design new affordable units to ensure accommodation for
diverse household size and universal accessibility.

o Provide funding for at least 2,000 new supportive housing units annually
that provide culturally appropriate services to support people with
disabilities, mental health issues and addictions to maintain their housing.


o Fund an energy affordability program that provides ongoing financial
assistance to low-income Ontarians who cannot afford rising home energy
costs.

o Introduce a tax credit to support low and modest income households to
purchase affordable homes.* *

* *

*What’s in **the strategy:** *

 No commitment to Ontario Housing Benefit, just vague promise to “explore
this and other options”

 No commitment to new funding for supportive housing

Ontario emergency energy fund to be rolled into “consolidated” initiatives,
but no commitment to new funding

 No affordable home ownership options

* *

*Test five: Reform housing legislation to build stronger communities *

*Key legislation that governs municipal planning, social housing and the
private rental market must be reformed to promote growth in affordable
housing, better protect the housing rights of tenants and provide
flexibility for non-profit and cooperative housing providers. *

o Overhaul the Social Housing Reform Act to give community housing providers
control and a fair appeals process to review decisions made by service
managers.

o Improve fairness for social housing tenants by restricting punitive
rent-geared-to-income rules and allowing tenants the right to an independent
review of loss of subsidy decisions.

o Amend the Residential Tenancies Act to better protect tenants and ensure
landlords cannot raise rents on vacant units beyond rent regulation
guidelines.

o Amend the Planning Act to allow municipalities to introduce inclusionary
housing policies to create new affordable housing.

o Give cities the power to expropriate abandoned properties for affordable
housing conversion.

* *

*What’s **in the strategy:** *

 Very important changes to the SHRA on rent rules

 No promise to amend the RTA

 No inclusionary housing commitment

 Promise to expand use of secondary rental units in new and existing
developments


* *







-- 
Terrie ( mocharebyl at gmail.com )
“If you see an injustice being committed, you aren't an observer, you are a
participant.” June Callwood
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and
renders the present inaccessible.  Maya Angelou
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