Nepean Housing has been…

Nepean Housing has been providing affordable community based housing for over 30 years. We have developed and managed 559 rental homes throughout 10 communities in Ottawa, Ontario.

Right now there are over 10,000 people waiting for affordable housing in Ottawa.

Over 5,000 low or fixed income applicants are on the Nepean Housing waiting list hoping to receive an affordable rental unit. For low – income Canadians, investment in affordable rental housing is an investment in their health, education, productivity and independence. Investment in rental housing is also an important investment in the economy.

We believe that inclusionary zoning is a critical and responsible tool that will assist communities with the planning and development needed to deal with Ontario’s growing affordable rental housing crisis.

Unfortunately, the proposed regulation under the Planning Act related to inclusionary zoning is woefully inadequate as a tool for municipalities to create affordable housing. Additionally, the regulation will not: a. increase the supply of affordable rental housing;

b. serve the housing needs of low or fixed income individuals and families;

c. contribute to assist local rental housing targets as indicated in the City of Ottawa's 10-year Housing and Homelessness plan.

The following improvements are needed:

1. Include affordable rental housing and define rental housing at a minimum of 70% of CMHC average market rent. 2. Nepean Housing supports Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporations position that the Province’s inclusionary zoning regulations should define a baseline level of affordability that developments would be required to achieve without any municipal incentive. Municipal incentives should be voluntary (to the municipality) and used to exceed minimum requirements. 3.The Province should not allow municipalities to exclude any areas within their geographic boundaries from inclusionary zoning requirements all together. 4.. Increase the percentage of set aside units from five percent of the total units or the gross floor area (GFA) of a new development, except in the area of “high-density transit stations” where the unit set aside cannot exceed 10 percent to, a minimum of 10% to 20% for high density transit corridors.

Thank you,

Tom Belanger, Executive Director

Nepean Housing Corporation

[Original Comment ID: 212312]