Other candidates exposed for status quo of enriching developers with too many unaffordable units, too few for families, ignoring renters
Toronto – Mitzie Hunter, the only mayoral candidate with a comprehensive plan, using an innovative public ownership model, to break the logjam and actually create affordable housing, is exposing other candidates for putting forward proposals that would mostly enrich developers with too many unaffordable units, too few for families, and ignoring renters.
“I am the only candidate with a workable plan to deliver more new affordable housing, more quickly, for the people who need it most,” says Hunter.
“Enriching developers helped get us in the mess we are now in. Only my plan will get us to the Toronto that works for everyone.”
Hunter’s detailed and practical five-point affordable housing plan will:
“The other candidates have released housing proposals that bow to developers, falling short both in terms of numbers of units and affordability. They would enrich developers and make no dent in the supply of affordable housing,” says Hunter. “My plan uses a public ownership model to build many more affordable housing units for renters and buyers alike.”
Here is how Hunter’s five-point affordable housing plan works:
o Build housing into every City-led development, including libraries, community centres, subway & LRT stations and Green P parking lots, and the vast majority of these new units can and must be affordable.
o On her first day as mayor, Hunter will issue a proclamation stating that “there is no such thing as surplus City land” to make it clear to all that there is no greater priority than leveraging City properties to develop as much affordable housing as possible.
o Establish a new Toronto Affordable Housing Corporation (TAHC) which will:
o Build the “missing middle” by enabling Montreal-style low-rise multiplexes of up to four units on every residential lot in the city as of right meaning no need to seek slow and expensive variance approvals.
o This will increase rental and buying opportunities across the city and better accommodate multi-generational families by adding one or two units throughout existing neighbourhoods.
o The City will also provide up to $100,000 in forgivable low-interest loans for the cost of renovations or additions to create multiplexes. Modelled on the City’s Housing Initiatives Laneway Suites program, the annual payment will be forgivable every year that the unit is rented at below average rent.
o The City will also develop standardized designs for laneway and garden suites of various sizes to expedite approvals and review other City policies that can preclude yellowbelt development. We will also review opportunities for laneway and garden suites on Toronto Community Housing properties.
o Turn our major streets into great streets – this means wide sidewalks, tree-lined boulevards, and shops and amenities within walking distance. This is only possible with greater density.
o Permit apartment buildings of up to eight storeys along the more than 1,200 kilometres of Toronto roads that are deemed to be “major streets” and also in new student housing zones, while continuing to identify opportunities for greater density.
o Create more permissive zoning in areas around postsecondary campuses including greater flexibility for dedicated student residences. Work with the Province to enable rental-only zoning tools, as has been enabled in Vancouver.
o Hire 15 more city planners and expedite development application reviews to get new housing approved more quickly.
o Speed up approvals by reviewing the City’s design guidelines and heritage designations that are too often used to slow or thwart new development.
o Make public consultations for housing projects more accessible and reflective through social media outreach, online meeting options and surveys that remain open for consultation.
o Use it or lose it: In a housing crisis, we can’t let land ready for new homes sit empty. To discourage unacceptable delays, we will work with the Province to introduce a tax on speculators with land and approved building permits.
o Make the Open Door program permanent, fast-tracking planning approvals for affordable housing.
o Empower non-profit housing providers, co-ops and land trusts to aggressively increase their portfolios.
o Provide for the next two years a $50-million annual increase for the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition program drawn from the Land Acquisition Reserve to support the purchase, renovation and operation of rental properties by non-profit housing providers, co-ops and land trusts.
o Ensure 20 per cent of projects are dedicated to Indigenous housing organizations.
o Create a rapid deployment deposit program to enable purchases with the same speed as the private sector. This program helps save apartment buildings and multi-tenant houses that are either vacant or at risk of conversion to less affordable housing, while the City works to prevent demolitions of existing rental buildings.
o Increase eviction prevention services by expanding the Eviction Prevention in the Community (EPIC) Program which supports vulnerable rental households to maintain their homes by adding six new positions and also triple the Rent Bank to 15 million per year.
o Create a Tenant Advocate role in the Legal Services division to help tenants fight illegal rent increases and fraudulent evictions with an annual budget of $5 million supported by 25 new Municipal Licensing & Standards inspectors in a new Rental Housing Integrity Unit with an annual budget of $4.5 million.
o Ensure all rentals on City land are subject to annual rent control limits and advocate to the Province to bring rent control back to all units.
o Hire 15 more building inspectors to increase building code monitoring and fines for property standard violations in condos and apartment buildings, including elevator and appliance repair, temperature control and pests. Fund from Building Code Act Service Improvement Reserve.
“We are in a housing crisis and buying a home in Toronto is now out of reach for all but the wealthiest,” says Hunter.
“The only way out of this mess is to add more affordable housing to meet demand and lower price escalation for renters and buyers alike. My plan does this.”
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Contact:
Charmain Emerson
charmain@culturedcommunications.ca
Remarks by Mitzie Hunter on her innovative and workable affordable housing plan, June 19, 2023: