7.             CITY HOUSING STRATEGY, 2007-2012

 
STRATÉGIE DU LOGEMENT DE LA VILLE, 2007-2012

 

 

COMMUNITY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE AND PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS as amended

 

That Council:

 

1.                  Adopt the City Housing Strategy, 2007-2012 (to be issued separately and held on file with the City Clerk’s Office).

 

2.                  Direct staff to implement the City Housing Strategy through the City Strategic Plan and to incorporate the strategies and directions of the City Housing Strategy into branch work plans and corporate policies and program development. 

 

3.                  Direct staff to report back in one year on progress in implementing the City Housing Strategy.

 

4.         That the following be added to Direction 3:  Meeting the Need for Supports to Housing: (pg. 64 of the CHS)

 

3.9 Actions:

 

Develop an integrated community development model to support social housing communities involving the City’s social services, public health, recreation and culture, housing, police, and community partners.

 

Context:

 

The City has a leadership role to play in promoting better co-ordination across the diversity of sectors that provide housing support services.

 

Internally following amalgamation the City has both the opportunity and responsibility to be effective in supporting low-income communities, particularly social housing communities.  The City has a number of branches who provide support activities to these communities, and the opportunity now exists to better co-ordinate and integrate these activities through a community development model in order to make more effective use of the City’s resources so to achieve healthy, sustainable, inclusive communities.

 

5.         Add to Appendix One, under Direction Three – Evaluating Outcomes: (pg. 75 of CHS)

 

M.       Co-ordination of services/activities to achieve healthy, sustainable, inclusive communities):

 

·        Reduction in police service calls, 9-1-1 calls, for crisis intervention

·        Reduction in anti-social behaviour

·        Reduction in vandalism

·        Increase in participation in City recreational programs

·        Increase in employment participation

·        Increase in the civic participation, volunteer activities.

 

6.         Whereas the City’s Housing Strategy indicates:

 

·                    Since 1996 94% of new housing in Ottawa has been ownership housing (50% single detached homes) only 6% was built as rental housing;

 

·                    37% of renter households (42,000 households in Ottawa) currently pay in excess of 30% of their income on housing, leaving insufficient funds for food, clothing and other essentials;

 

·                    An Ottawa household currently needs more than two minimum wage jobs to afford the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment (2006 average 2-bedroom monthly rent $806; monthly affordable rent for 2 person on minimum wage $712);

 

·                    The City has received inadequate funding to build affordable housing units directly.  In 2004 the City established an annual target of building 500 affordable housing units for 10 years (under the Action Ottawa program).  By 2007 the City had obtained funding for 586 units or 30% of its target by 2007, leaving a 70% gap;

 

·                    Growth projections for Ottawa shows that Ottawa will grow from 2007 to 2021 by 9,300 households, but given housing market behaviour, 3,700 of these new households (40%) will face affordable housing challenges;

 

·          The City of Ottawa’s Official Plan sets a target of 25% of new homes to be affordable to the 40% income percentile.  However, this target has not been met since adopted in 2003.  In 2006, only 13.9% of ownership completions were affordable to households at the 40% income percentile (earning $58,000).  For those at the 30% income percentile (earning $45,000) only 0.8% were affordable;

 

Whereas it is clear that Ottawa’s housing system does not work for those 140,000 households earning less than $58,000, that what is needed is a requirement that as new developments proceed, affordable housing be built as a component of the development, in order to assure better balanced communities with better social outcomes for working poor and their families;

 

Whereas inclusionary housing policies are regulatory instruments used by provincial or state and local governments to encourage or require that new residential developments require a percentage of housing (usually 10-25%) that is affordable to moderate and low income households;

 

Therefore be it resolved that a policy report on inclusionary housing be developed for Committee and Council consideration, including any necessary legislative changes.

 

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

 

7.         Be it resolved that staff bring forward a report that secondary plans and community design plans be required to identify at least 7% of residential units for housing that will be affordable for people whose income is in the 25th income percentile and below.

 

 

Recommandations MODIFIéES du comité des services communautaires et de protection ET DU Comité de L’URBANISME ET DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT

 

Que le Conseil :

 

1.                  Adopte la Stratégie du logement de la Ville 2007-2012 (fera l’objet d’une diffusion distincte et sera conservé dans un dossier au bureau du Greffier de la Ville.)

 

2.                  Demande au personnel de mettre ne œuvre la Stratégie du logement de la Ville, par le biais du Plan directeur municipal, et d’en intégrer les stratégies et orientations aux plans de travail des directions ainsi qu’aux activités d’élaboration de politiques et de programmes généraux.

 

3.                  Demande au personnel de rendre compte dans un an de la progression de la mise en œuvre de la Stratégie du logement de la Ville.

 

4.         d’ajouter les points suivants à l’orientation 3 – Répondre au besoin de mesures d’aide au logement (p. 64 de la Stratégie du logement de la Ville) :

 

3.9 Mesures :

 

Concevoir un modèle de développement communautaire intégré qui appuie les communautés de logements sociaux et prend en considération les services sociaux, la santé publique, les services de loisirs et de culture, le logement, la police et les partenaires communautaires.

 

Contexte :

 

La Ville doit faire preuve de leadership en favorisant une meilleure coordination des divers secteurs qui offrent des services d’aide au logement.

 

Par suite de la fusion, la Ville a l’occasion et la responsabilité d’appuyer efficacement les collectivités à faible revenu, particulièrement les communautés de logements sociaux. Plusieurs directions de la Ville offrent des activités de soutien à ces communautés, et il est maintenant possible de mieux coordonner et d’intégrer davantage ces activités au moyen d’un modèle de développement communautaire afin que les ressources municipales soient utilisées plus efficacement pour rendre les communautés saines, durables et inclusives.

 

5.         d’ajouter à l’annexe 1, sous Orientation 3 – Évaluation des résultats (p. 75 de la Stratégie du logement de la Ville) :

 

M.       Coordination des services et des activités pour rendre les communautés saines, durables et inclusives :

 

·        réduire le nombre d’appels au Service de police, au 9-1-1 et aux services d’intervention en situation de crise;

·        diminuer la fréquence des comportements antisociaux;

·        réduire le vandalisme;

·        augmenter la participation aux programmes de loisirs de la Ville;

·        rehausser le niveau de la participation à l’emploi;

·        accroître la participation aux activités communautaires et de bénévolat.

 

6.         Attendu que la Stratégie du logement de la Ville présente les conclusions suivantes :

 

·        depuis 1996, 94 p. 100 des nouveaux logements à Ottawa sont des logements de propriétaires-occupants (dont 50 p. 100 sont des maisons unifamiliales), et seulement 6 p. 100 sont des logements locatifs,

 

·        37 p. 100 des ménages locataires (42 000 ménages à Ottawa) consacrent plus de 30 p. 100 de leur revenu au logement, ce qui ne leur laisse pas suffisamment de fonds pour répondre à leurs besoins essentiels, notamment l’alimentation et l’habillement,

 

·        à l’heure actuelle, un ménage à Ottawa a besoin de plus de deux emplois au salaire minimum pour pouvoir assumer le loyer mensuel moyen d’un appartement comptant deux chambres (en 2006, un logement de deux chambres coûtait en moyenne 806 $ par mois; le loyer abordable pour deux personnes travaillant au salaire minimum était de 712 $ par mois),

 

·        la Ville n’a pas reçu le financement nécessaire pour construire des logements abordables. En 2004, elle s’est fixé comme objectif de construire 500 unités de logement abordables chaque année pendant dix ans (sous la direction du programme Action Ottawa). En 2007, la Ville avait obtenu le financement nécessaire pour construire 586 unités, ce qui correspond à 30 p. 100 de son objectif, donnant ainsi lieu à un écart de 70 p. 100,

 

·        d’après les projections pour la ville d’Ottawa, celle-ci s’accroîtra de 9 300 ménages entre 2007 et 2021, mais selon le marché du logement, 3 700 d’entre eux (40 p. 100) auront de la difficulté à trouver un logement abordable,

 

·        le Plan officiel de la Ville d'Ottawa vise à faire en sorte que 25 p. 100 des nouveaux logements construits chaque année soient accessibles aux ménages dont le revenu est égal ou inférieur au 40e percentile. Cependant, l’objectif n’a jamais été atteint depuis l’adoption en 2003 du document. En 2006, seulement 13,9 p. 100 des nouveaux logements étaient abordables pour les ménages dont le revenu était égal ou inférieur au 40e percentile (salaire annuel de 58 000 $), et 0,8 p. 100, pour les ménages dont le revenu était égal ou inférieur au 30e percentile (salaire annuel de 45 000 $);

 

·                    Attendu que le système de logement actuel d’Ottawa n’est pas adapté aux besoins des quelque 140 000 ménages qui gagnent moins de 58 000 $ par année, et que la Ville doit mettre en œuvre une exigence selon laquelle les nouveaux projets d’aménagement prévoient la construction de logements abordables afin d’assurer un meilleur équilibre dans les communautés et de permettre aux travailleurs défavorisés et à leur famille de mieux réussir sur le plan social;

 

·                    Attendu que les politiques de logement inclusives sont des outils de réglementation utilisés par les gouvernements provinciaux et territoriaux et les administrations locales pour encourager ou obliger les promoteurs à inclure dans leurs projets résidentiels un certain pourcentage (habituellement entre 10 et 15 p. 100) de logements abordables pour les ménages à revenu faible ou modeste;

 

·                    Il est décidé qu’une politique qu’un rapport sur les politiques de logement inclusives qui comprendra les modifications nécessaires apportées aux dispositions législatives sera préparé et soumis à l’étude du Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement et du Conseil;

 

Recommandation du Comité de L’URBANISME ET DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT

 

7.         Il est décidé que le personnel présentera un rapport en vertu duquel les plans secondaires et les plans de conception communautaire doivent tenir compte de l’exigence voulant qu’au moins 7 p. 100 des logements résidentiels soient abordables pour les ménages dont le revenu est égal ou inférieur au 25e percentile.

 

 

 

Documentation

 

1.      Deputy City Manager's report Community and Protective Services Committee and Planning, Transit and the Environment Committee dated 17 July 2007.

(ACS2007-CPS-HOU-0012).

 

2.   Extract of Draft Minutes, 18 October 2007 Community and Protective Services Committee and 23 October 2007 Planning, Transit and the Environment Committee follows the French version of the report.

 

Report to:

 

Community and Protective Services Committee

 

and

Planning and Environment Committee

 

and Council

 

17 July 2007

 

Submitted by: Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager,

Community and Protective Services

 

and

 

Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager,

Planning, Transit and the Environment

 

Contact Person: Russell Mawby, Director, Housing

(613) 580-2424 x44162, russell.mawby@ottawa.ca

 

City Wide

Ref N°: ACS2007-CPS-HOU-0012

 

 

SUBJECT:

CITY HOUSING STRATEGY, 2007-2012

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Community and Protective Services Committee and the Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:

 

1.                  Adopt the City Housing Strategy, 2007-2012 (to be issued separately and held on file with the City Clerk’s Office).

 

2.                  Direct staff to implement the City Housing Strategy through the City Strategic Plan and to incorporate the strategies and directions of the City Housing Strategy into branch work plans and corporate policies and program development. 

 

3.                  Direct staff to report back in one year on progress in implementing the City Housing Strategy.

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

The City Housing Strategy (CHS) establishes for the first time an integrated framework for addressing key housing issues in Ottawa, both today and looking forward, and is intended to provide the foundation for shaping the development and implementation of the City’s housing priorities in corporate strategic planning processes. 

It builds on the vision of Ottawa 20/20 and the City’s Growth Management Plans while integrating the various roles of partners in the community who participate in the housing market.

 

The Strategy was developed based on extensive housing market analysis and is supported by several background documents prepared over the course of the project.  The development of the Strategy also included extensive consultations with a broad range of stakeholders in the community.  To ensure the effectiveness of the CHS over time, a key component of the Strategy is to provide annual reporting on outcomes as well as a five-year formal review concurrent with the Official Plan review cycle and census data releases.  Any planning policy implications of the 2007-2012 CHS will be considered during the current Official Plan review process. 

 

The City Housing Strategy establishes three overall Directions to be pursued until 2012 at which time the Strategy will be reviewed.

 

Direction One:  Building Healthy, Inclusive, Sustainable Communities.

Direction Two:  Promoting and Preserving Affordable Housing.

Direction Three:  Meeting the Need for Supports to Housing.

 

These overarching Directions are supported by twelve Strategies that indicate actions to be prioritized in implementing the City Housing Strategy.   There are 36 specific recommendations for action that comprise an implementation plan for the Strategy and will inform the implementation of the City Strategic Plan concurrent with the City’s strategic planning cycle.  The City Housing Strategy also proposes measurable outcomes that will support the monitoring of progress over the next five years.

 

Overall, the City Housing Strategy may be summarized as follows:

 

n         Identifies issues and gaps in meeting needs in Ottawa’s housing system.

n         Provides a comprehensive, integrated strategic framework for Ottawa’s housing system in order to better respond to housing issues and gaps.

n         Aligns current housing policies and initiatives around three overall Directions to more effectively address local housing issues.

n         Provides a framework to guide future policies and initiatives which address Ottawa’s housing issues.

n         Establishes a leadership role for the City in engaging all system partners (senior governments, private sector, non-profit sector) to address local housing issues.

n         Establishes annual reporting on outcomes and a five-year comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the Strategy.

 

Staff is recommending that the City Housing Strategy 2007-2012 form the basis for implementing the housing priorities in the City Strategic Plan.  This will provide for implementation of the Strategy across the corporation.  The alignment and integration of cross-Corporate housing policies and initiatives is a key aspect of the City Housing Strategy because the City’s housing responsibilities are situated across a number of departments and branches. 

 

Staff will also establish an interdepartmental housing committee of senior staff to take the lead in facilitating the implementation process. 

 

This committee will promote the integration of the City Housing Strategy into work plans across departments and branches and in corporate policies and program development such as the Neighbourhood Planning Initiative, the review of the Official Plan and the continued development of the zoning bylaw.  It will foster a housing system approach that seeks to engage all partners (senior governments, private sector, non-profit sector) and utilize all appropriate resources and tools to address housing issues.  The committee will also play a lead role in overseeing the development of a system to monitor outcomes of the CHS in the community and will assume responsibility for reporting to Council in one year on progress in implementing the Strategy.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Ottawa 20/20 emphasizes the crucial role played by affordable, appropriate housing in building healthy, inclusive and sustainable communities.  Both the Official Plan and the Human Services Plan set out policies for housing which work toward achieving this vision.  They also call for the preparation of a “municipal housing statement” to refine the housing policies found in the Growth Plans.  Subsequently renamed the City Housing Strategy, this document is a key deliverable from the 2006-2009 City Corporate Plan under the Housing Agenda.  It will serve to shape Corporate housing priorities and provide for ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of initiatives in responding to housing issues and promoting the 20/20 vision.

 

The former Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton and the Region’s lower tier municipalities completed Municipal Housing Statements in the early 1990s. These Statements were mandated under provincial legislation and assisted municipalities in applying for allocations under senior government programs for housing. 

 

Since amalgamation, the City of Ottawa has put in place a number of housing policies and initiatives without the benefit of an overall strategic framework to guide cross-Corporate initiatives.  These include, for example, policies/initiatives encompassing affordable housing (Affordable Housing Strategy), seniors’ housing (Seniors Agenda), accessibility in housing (Municipal Accessibility Plan), the need to promote energy efficiencies in housing (Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan) and the way housing is built and designed to promote smarter growth (Official Plan). 

 

The City Housing Strategy provides for cross-Corporate coordination of these and potential future initiatives.  At the same, it recognizes shifting responsibilities and roles in housing. 


For example, traditional social housing development programs have been cancelled and ongoing administration has been downloaded to the City.  The City has a much greater role in promoting affordable and supportive housing and is looked upon as a leader to promote increased housing options for a diversity of groups such as low and moderate income households, newcomers, youth, seniors and other groups with specific needs that require support services in housing.

 

The CHS also recognizes that the City is only one partner in the local housing system and cannot address housing issues on its own or in isolation.  It promotes a “systems approach” that integrates the many partners involved in addressing housing issues in a city – the public sector (including all three levels of government), the private sector and the non-profit sector. 

 

At the same time, the CHS establishes a leadership role for the City of Ottawa in promoting increased coordination and collaboration among all housing system partners to address local housing issues. 

 

DISCUSSION

 

The City Housing Strategy is intended to guide responses to housing issues in our community in an integrated, focused way and to provide for ongoing assessment of emerging issues as well as outcomes of initiatives.   Its 36 actions structured around three overall Directions comprise a comprehensive response to Ottawa’s housing issues. 

 

The development of the City Housing Strategy involved extensive consultation with community stakeholders and is based on detailed analysis of Ottawa’s housing market. A consulting firm was retained to conduct and report on much of the research and analysis.  The project was led by the Housing Branch and guided by an interdepartmental steering committee of City staff.

 

The CHS was developed over a two-year period that involved three phases:  1.  Identify and Prioritize Housing Issues; 2. Identify Strategic Options and Partners’ Roles; and 3. Develop the City Housing Strategy.  Each of these phases resulted in the preparation of key background documents:

 

            Technical Background Report:  Housing Demand and Supply Analysis

            Housing Issues and Priorities Discussion Paper

            Strategic Options Discussion Paper

            Background to the Strategic Options Paper

            Monitoring the Housing System

            Consultant’s Final Report on Developing the City Housing Strategy

 

Together, this body of work provides a comprehensive baseline of key local housing data and identifies issues as well as options for addressing issues.  Most of the documents were presented at community consultations and have subsequently been placed on the City’s website.  All of the documents were made available on request.

 

Recommendation 1:  City Housing Strategy

 

The City Housing Strategy builds on this body of work and the extensive consultations that informed it.  The outcome of this work is expressed in three overarching Directions for housing in the City of Ottawa.

 

City Housing Strategy:  Direction One – Building Healthy, Inclusive, Sustainable Communities

 

This Direction responds to the following trends and issues:

 

n         Rising housing costs inside the greenbelt are pushing low to moderate income households to housing outside the urban boundary, requiring longer commutes and contradicting the goals of ‘smart growth’.

n         There is a mismatch between household size and new development.  Since 1999, 50% of new housing development was comprised of single detached dwellings although 60% of Ottawa’s households are made up of only 1 or 2 persons.  The number of smaller households is forecasted to increase.

n         Since 1995, only 8% of housing completions have been purpose-built rental and the stock of purpose-built rental has declined over time due primarily to condo conversions.  40% of Ottawa’s households are renters and the demand for rental housing is expected to grow along with the city.

n         Physical accessibility in housing needs to be increased.

 

Direction One promotes greater diversity in housing type and tenure and an increased supply of affordable, appropriate housing in neighbourhoods across the city.  It integrates these goals with the promotion of housing that contributes to building a more compact urban geography that reduces impact on the environment. Emphasis is also placed on increasing physical accessibility in housing.

 

The following table outlines the four Strategies that support this Direction as well as some examples of Actions to be taken.

 

Direction One:  Building Healthy, Inclusive, Sustainable Communities

Strategy

Example of Action

1A. Develop a more comprehensive, coordinated framework of public policies, programs and tools that provide an integrated response to addressing housing issues in local communities.

Advocate to senior governments for a full suite of policies/programs supporting local housing systems, including increased municipal authorities. (1.1 and 1.5)*

Coordinate OP ‘smart growth’ policies with affordable housing policy. (1.3)

1B.  Promote compact, sustainable housing development and redevelopment.

Identify residential (re)development opportunities to support OP policies on compact, denser development (1.3)

Promote compact, affordable housing in brownfield redevelopment. (1.8)

1C.  Encourage and enable diverse, flexible housing solutions across the city, including urban, suburban and rural neighbourhoods.

Promote housing diversity and adaptability in Community Design Plans and Neighbourhood Plans.  (1.4)

Encourage increased physically accessibility in housing.  (1.9)

1D.  Maximize opportunities in the existing housing stock to build healthy, inclusive, sustainable communities.

 

Promote effective use of stock:  physical accessibility, energy efficiencies. (1.12)

Maximize use of federal Residential Rehabilitation  Assistance Programs. (1.14)

 

City Housing Strategy:  Direction Two – Promoting and Preserving Affordable Housing

 

This Direction responds to the following trends and issues:

 

n         14.5% of Ottawa’s households are in core housing need.  37% of renter households in Ottawa are in need of affordable housing. 

n         Incomes at the lower end of Ottawa’s income continuum have stagnated or fallen in real terms since 1995 while rents have kept pace with inflation. 

n         Due to lack of federal and provincial funding, the City has only met 30% of its target for new affordable housing development under Action Ottawa since the target was established in 2004.

n         There is insufficient funding to maintain the social housing stock.

n         The City’s Official Plan affordable housing target of 25% has not been met since it was adopted in 2003.  Last year 14% of ownership completions met the target, the highest proportion since the target was adopted, largely due to an increase in condominium completions.

n         Both resale and new home prices have increased greater than the rate of inflation since 1995.

n         Almost 40% of households in Ottawa cannot afford the average price of ownership housing (both resale and new) unless they have a significant amount of equity.

 

Direction Two seeks to ensure that all Ottawa residents have access to housing they can afford.  It directly addresses market gaps in meeting the housing needs of low to moderate income households in Ottawa. 

 

The four Strategies that support this Direction are:

 

Direction Two:  Promoting and Preserving Affordable Housing

Strategy

Example of Action

2A. Promote an integrated balanced approach to addressing housing needs through income policies and housing supply policies. 

Work with senior governments to ensure funding for development. (2.1)*

 Advocate for rent support and subsidy programs, including housing allowances. (2.8)

2B.  Promote a positive environment to foster affordable housing development.

Develop communications materials, offer  training, facilitate partnerships. (2.2)

Promote increased communication and collaboration among partners. (2.6)

2C.  Assemble and leverage resources to address the need for affordable housing.

Maintain inventory of public land (City, school board, federal, provincial). (2.3)

Deliver Affordable Housing Program (2.1)

Advocate for increased funding (new affordable housing, housing allowances). (2.1 and 2.8)

Transfer cost of social housing to Province. (2.11)

2D.  Preserve the existing affordable housing stock. 

Explore acquisition/rehab of existing rental buildings. (2.10)

Preserve the social housing stock; promote portfolio management of the stock. (2.11 and 2.12)

Maximize use of Ottawa Community Housing assets. (2.13)

 

 

City Housing Strategy:  Direction Three – Meeting the Need for Supports to Housing

 

This Direction addresses the following trends and issues: 

 

n         Demand for supports to housing is increasing and is not currently being met.  With the aging of the population, this trend is expected to continue – the proportion of seniors in our community is expected to increase to 23% in 2021.

n         At the end of 2006, there were 2,630 applications on the waiting lists of the Ottawa Supportive Housing Network, unit turnover is infrequent and wait times can extend to up to eight years. 

n         The number of households served by the community-based Housing Loss Prevention Network has increased by 47% since 2004. 

n         Support services combined with affordable housing are essential for reducing and preventing homelessness.  Last year, almost 9,000 individuals used emergency shelters in Ottawa – 1,000 of these were children.

n         The lack of supports to housing has meant over-reliance on more expensive health and social services such as long-term care centres.

n         There is need for more coordination of the planning and delivery of housing support services.

 

Direction Three of the City Housing Strategy addresses the gaps in meeting the need for supports to housing in Ottawa.   The four Strategies that support this Direction are:

 

 

Direction Three:  Meeting the Need for Supports to Housing

Strategy

Example of Action

3A. Take a leadership role in promoting the coordination of resources for housing support services and more integrated planning and delivery in the services system.

Work with partners to better integrate planning, funding and delivery of services. (3.1)*

Increase coordination between support service agencies and landlords. (3.6)

3B.  Advocate for increased and sustained funding to increase the supply of both dedicated supportive housing and support services to housing throughout the community.

Advocate for sustained, sufficient federal and provincial funding. (3.1)

 Support the provision of services for homeless people to assist them in obtaining housing. (3.3)

3C.  Promote local initiatives that increase the supply of housing support services.

Explore and promote housing options for seniors. (3.4)

Support capacity building initiatives in the community. (3.2)

3D.  Promote improved access to housing support services.

Identify access points to housing support services and promote better coordination. (3.5)

Position shelters as points of access to housing and support services. (3.8)

 

City Housing Strategy:  Monitoring Outcomes

 

A key goal of the CHS is the establishment of a comprehensive outcomes monitoring system for housing in Ottawa.   Governments and other organizations are recognizing the need to improve understanding of the impact or outcomes of policies and initiatives.  The City of Ottawa has prioritized the development of a framework that measures the City’s performance in achieving the objectives of the City Strategic Plan.

 

The CHS directs the establishment of an outcomes monitoring system that will support ongoing monitoring of housing issues and trends, the evaluation of the impact of housing initiatives in the community and potential modifications to the Strategy.  The document proposes measurable outcomes for the Strategy in Appendix One.  Outcomes will be reported on annually or every five years depending on the availability of data, e.g. census data. 

 

The following are some examples of indicators that can be used to evaluate outcomes in the community against the objectives of the City Housing Strategy.

 

n         Housing starts by location as a percentage of total housing starts.

n         Number of existing housing units modified through government programs (e.g. RRAP) as a percentage of total housing stock.

n         Number of affordable housing starts/completions as a percentage of total housing starts/completions.

n         Number of full-time minimum wage jobs required to rent an average two bedroom apartment in Ottawa without spending more than thirty percent of income.

n         Length of stay in emergency shelters.

 

Summary of the City Housing Strategy

 

Taken as a whole, the City Housing Strategy:

 

n            Identifies issues and gaps in meeting needs in Ottawa’s housing system.

n            Provides a comprehensive, integrated strategic framework for Ottawa’s housing system in order to better respond to housing issues and gaps.

n            Aligns current housing policies and initiatives around three overall Directions to more effectively address local housing issues.

n            Provides a framework to guide future policies and initiatives that address Ottawa’s housing issues.

n            Establishes a leadership role for the City in engaging all system partners (senior governments, private sector, non-profit sector) to address local housing issues.

n            Establishes annual reporting on outcomes and a five-year comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the Strategy

 

Recommendations 2 and 3:  Implementation of the City Housing Strategy

 

Staff are recommending that the City Housing Strategy 2007-2012 form the basis for implementing, reviewing and establishing housing priorities in the City Strategic Plan.  This Plan provides the strategic framework for the Corporation around which departmental and/or branch work plans may be aligned.

 

Alignment of cross-Corporate housing policies and initiatives is a key aspect of the City Housing Strategy since the City’s housing responsibilities are situated across a number of departments and branches:  Planning, Building Services, Employment and Financial Assistance, Housing, Public Health, Long Term Care, Cultural Services and Community Funding, Bylaw Services and Real Property Asset Management.  More concerted coordination and integration of activities supporting these responsibilities can ensure increased effectiveness and efficiencies in the implementation of City housing initiatives.

 

Staff will also establish an interdepartmental housing committee of senior staff to oversee the implementation of the City Housing Strategy through the City Strategic Plan.  The Housing branch will take the lead in forming the committee.  It is expected that the committee will address the following tasks over the coming year:

 

1.      Oversee the development and implementation of a five-year work plan that incorporates the Actions of the City Housing Strategy.  The work plan will identify timing for each Action (e.g. short vs. longer term) and the resources required for implementation.  Key deliverables of this work plan could include: 

 

n         Policies, bylaws or standards (e.g. alternative development standards)

n         Changes to legislation (e.g. affordable housing requirements)

n         New, increased or redirected resources (e.g. guidelines for the provision of municipal fee relief)

n         New or improved processes (e.g. increased coordination of housing and support services)

n         Capacity building (e.g. development training for community agencies)

 

2.      Oversee the development of communications materials on the CHS for both internal and external audiences.

 

3.      Establish an outcomes monitoring system. 

 

4.      Report to Council on the implementation of the CHS.

 

CONSULTATION

 

The development of the City Housing Strategy involved consultation with over 80 key stakeholders in the housing system, including private developers, private landlords, non-profit housing agencies, social and support service agencies and federal and provincial governments. 

Two formal consultations brought key housing stakeholders together to discuss housing issues in Ottawa and options for addressing issues.  A public Open House was held to obtain feedback on the consultant’s Final Draft Report on Developing the City Housing Strategy. 

 

A ‘City Housing Strategy’ webpage was also developed and updated frequently with information on progress in the development of the Strategy and on how to obtain further information.  Key background documents were posted on the webpage.

 

Branch directors across the corporation were given the opportunity to provide feedback on the final draft of the Strategy and were consulted on the concept of an interdepartmental housing committee.

 

Advisory committees were consulted on the final draft of the City Housing Strategy in preparation for reporting to Council.  A meeting was held for all advisory committee chairs.  Staff also attended meetings of several of the committees. 

 

On May 8th, 2007, the Poverty Issues Advisory Committee approved the following amended motion in support of the City Housing Strategy:

 

Whereas the proposed City Housing Strategy will bring new thinking and direction to the governance of the city’s housing business, which in turn will secure a better possible future of housing in Ottawa; 

 

Therefore the Poverty Issues Advisory Committee fully supports the recommendations contained in the proposed City Housing Strategy report and recommends that the Community and Protective Services Committee, the Planning and Environment Committee and Council approve the report.

 

On June 20th, 2007, the Seniors Advisory Committee approved the following motion in support of the Strategy:

 

Whereas meeting the needs for support to housing is a critical initiative for the aging population that has been advocated by the Seniors Advisory Committee (SAC);

 

Whereas housing support services are often essential for seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their own home;

 

Whereas the SAC encourages initiatives by the City of Ottawa on its own, or in partnership with other agencies (such as the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), the Community Support Agencies, etc.), to develop housing support services;

 

Be it resolved that the Seniors Advisory Committee support the Proposed City Housing Strategy 2007-2012 in its emphasis on and encouragement of initiatives to develop supportive, affordable and accessible housing.

 

At its meeting of June 26th, 2007, the Health and Social Services Advisory Committee conveyed its support for the City Housing Strategy:

 

As a long-term statement of strategic policy, and as a statement of principle for City housing, the proposed City Housing Strategy is a very good, strong and clear statement fully endorsed by the Health and Social Services Advisory Committee.

 

The committee also made some suggestions for the report.  Staff has incorporated its suggestion to assign a lead role for the Housing branch in the implementation of the CHS.  The committee also asked that specific affordable housing targets be identified for two sites of surplus federal government land, LeBreton Flats and the former Rockcliffe CFB.  Staff notes that the City Housing Strategy identifies actions to better achieve the City’s affordable housing targets in development and redevelopment throughout the city.  However, as a high-level strategic document, details regarding the achievement of targets on specific sites are beyond the purview of the City Housing Strategy.  Affordable housing targets for surplus public land, including federal, provincial and municipal land, will require consultations with community stakeholders. 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no financial implications at this time.  Any financial implications with respect to the implementation of the City Housing Strategy through the City Strategic Plan will be reflected in the preparation of budgets as required.  

 

CITY STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

 

The City Housing Strategy 2007-2012 supports the following City Strategic Directions:

 

Service Priorities:

 

C. Infrastructure Renewal

     4.     Repair, replace and/or upload all City housing stock by 2020, including a review of innovative alternatives to rehabilitate the stock.

 

E.  Sustainable Healthy and Active City

3.     Set a high level and proactive municipal response to meet the social services, social housing, supported living and public health needs of Ottawa residents.

4.     Upload the cost of social services, social housing and public health while retaining responsibility for local administration to reflect the needs of the community.

6.     In cooperation with federal and provincial partners, end homelessness in Ottawa in 10 years.

9.     Require walking, transit and cycling oriented communities and employment centres.

12.   Continue to pressure for the annual development of 500 units that people on low incomes can afford with the objective of closing the gap in affordable and appropriate housing supply.

 

F.  Planning and Growth Management

1.      Become leading edge in community and urban design including housing creation for those in the city living on low income and residents at large.

 

Transformation Priorities:

 

B.  Service Delivery

2.      Integrate outcome-based performance measurement into a flexible and evolving services delivery model that respects triple bottom line approaches to respond to community and environmental demands.

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1:  City Housing Strategy, 2007-2012 to be issued separately and held on file with the City Clerk’s Office.

 

DISPOSITION

 

The Housing Branch in the Community and Protective Services Department will take the lead in establishing the interdepartmental housing committee.  The committee will report back in one year on progress in implementing the City Housing Strategy. 


* Numbers refer to Actions in the City Housing Strategy

* Numbers refer to Actions in the City Housing Strategy

* Numbers refer to Actions in the City Housing Strategy