Fast-track affordable housing: councillor

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This article was published 16/11/2020 (1931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg could eventually add tax incentives and waive parking requirements to get more affordable homes built, though one council member says key changes aren’t coming soon enough.

A new affordable housing proposal calls upon council to order a second report on possible bylaw changes that would eliminate minimum parking requirements for such units, to make them cheaper to create. City staff would also report back on how best to provide financial support for affordable housing, including a possible tax-increment financing grant worth 80 per cent of municipal taxes per project for up to 25 years, if council approves the plan as is.

The public service also suggests the creation of a process to fast-track development applications that include affordable housing.

However, one city councillor said she’d instead like to speed up the process right now.

“I wish it said ‘fast-track (development applications)’… I would like to vote for that now,” said Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), the chairwoman of council’s protection and community services committee.

The current proposal calls for a second report on an affordable housing TIF and a call to devote federal funding for the project to return in about 90 days, while other changes still set to be studied aren’t paired with a clear timeline.

“We could do better and we should do better given what we’re seeing currently and some of the needs,” said Rollins.

In addition to expediting the process, council should commit a funding source for the proposed tax grant now to help address a shortage of affordable housing units. Rollins said. She estimates about 9,000 such homes need to be added in Winnipeg.

The city report says about 56,000 Winnipeg households have incomes that could be expected to lead them to require some form of social housing.

The report suggests council could also consider devoting up to $2 million from its federal Safe Restart Agreement funding to capital grants and permit fee rebates to support affordable housing units, pending 2021 budget process approvals.

Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), who leads council’s property and development committee, said she’s pleased with the affordable housing proposal.

“This is something that’s been in the works for many years, so I’m finally happy to see that we’re actually going to have a program,” said Gilroy. “If this moves forward… this would be a big step in what the city’s doing in terms of affordable housing.”

Gilroy said she expects council can still work to secure affordable housing units on a project-by-project basis while further study on incentives, bylaw changes and financing is underway.

The property and development committee is expected to vote on the report Tuesday.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga