Joint Meeting of Finance and Economic Development Committee and Community and Protective Services Committee

WHEREAS Ontario is the only province where the cost of Rent Geared to Income housing has been downloaded to municipalities, at an $80 million annual expense to the City of Ottawa. WHEREAS there are over 13,000 people on the Centralized Waiting List (CWL), in Ottawa, for affordable housing. WHEREAS the median cost to build a new unit, as modelled in the Housing Long Range Financial Plan, between Ottawa Community Housing and other not-for profit housing providers, is $120,000. WHEREAS if the City was released from this $80 million in yearly operational pressures, it could unlock capital investments of up to 666 new housing units yearly. THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council direct the Mayor to write to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to request that the Province of Ontario cover the expenses of the City of Ottawa’s Rent Geared to Income program.

WHEREAS there are over 13,000 people on the Centralized Waiting List (CWL), in Ottawa, for affordable housing. WHEREAS The City contributes $112 million to the Housing Services budget annually. WHEREAS the Long Range Financial Plan (LRFP) supports financial planning to support the City’s 10-Year Housing and Homeless Plan Refresh (Plan) objectives. WHEREAS this LRFP is a high-level plan and not an executable strategy. WHEREAS the numbers compiled in the LFRP do not allow for an easy understanding and examination of all expenses, investments and funding identified to respond to City of Ottawa housing goals and needs. WHEREAS it is unclear how these large spending objectives will have an impact in reducing the CWL. WHEREAS it is imperative that Council and the community at large be able to easily identify how the planned and requested funding lead to a reduction in the CWL and achievement of the goals outlined in the Plan. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that prior to April 15, 2021, Community and Protective Services Committee Meeting, staff create a summary chart that clearly outlines how each funding strategy proposed in the LRFP (operational/capital) advances a new and permanent affordable housing solution and reduces the CWL.

the City’s Housing Long Range Financial Plan identifies updates being provided to Council on a yearly basis to reflect new information, that Staff, as part of these updates, for ease of understanding and consistency, create a chart outlining the following key elements: 1. Centralized Waiting List (CWL) total for that year 2. Total number of singles and families in the shelter system for that year 3. Total yearly operational spending, broken down between homelessness services programs and permanent affordable housing units created (housing subsidies and supports) 4. Total yearly capital spending, with project specific numbers (units created) 5. Cost per unit built in the previous year

WHEREAS the report “ 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Work Plan 2021-2022” (the Report) was

the City’s 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Workplan identifies a review and recommendations on the feasibility of the City establishing head leases, that staff be directed to make recommendations of the feasibility of City, or designate organization, taking on head leases on a long term basis. This review should also include analysis of other municipalities/community organizations using Head Leases (City of London, Ontario, Canadian Mental Health Association Ottawa, etc.). That staff be directed to complete this review and provide recommendations prior to Q4 2021 to ensure any financial implications can be considered as part of the 2022 Budget process.

the City’s 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Workplan anticipates that there will be a second round of federal Rapid Housing Initiative funding issued, that Staff be directed to proactively identify development opportunities with non-profit housing providers taking into consideration all City lands, and projects in all neighbourhoods in Ottawa. Further, that staff also be directed to prioritize family-friendly developments to assist in housing the 390 households currently in the family shelter system.

the City’s 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Workplan identifies the need for housing benefits based on current and future trends along with recommendations to re-design the municipal housing subsidy programs, that staff be directed, as part of this re-design, to strike a committee to evaluate changes to subsidy amounts, every four years, taking into consideration cost of living increases, vacancy rates and current market rent rates, along with other relevant factors.

WHEREAS the City’s 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Workplan identifies creating and maintaining an inventory of opportunities available for development by issuing strategic REOIs and RFPs, including for pre-development funding. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff add an item to the workplan that includes a visioning exercise to plan for the allocation of pre-development funding. This visioning exercise should include elements such as, but not limited to: timeline for construction completion, cost per unit, number of units, and targeted housing groups. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this visioning exercise must also identify a specific link to how the development(s) will lead to achieving the goals outlined in the Housing and Homelessness 10 Year Plan Refresh. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, to account for this additional workload, that Staff remove item 21 from the workplan and replace it with the above visioning exercise.

That the Dudas motion (being MOTION No. FEDC/CPSC 2021 10/1) be amended to add 1. That the City cease the hotel per diem relationship and use of Tabor Apartments (120-140 St. Denis) no later than September 2021, and if this date is unachievable that the General Manager report back in advance of September 2021 with a rationale for why the deadline cannot be met and a plan for re-housing all of the families; and 2. That when current tenants are relocated to permanent housing, no new families are placed at the Tabor Apartments (120-140 St. Denis) as part of the City’s hotel per diem relationship. Such that the amended motion read: WHEREAS the report “Tabor Apartments – Re-house 24 Families and Cease the Per Diem” (the Report) seeks to terminate the use of the Tabor apartments at 120-140 St Denis for the purpose of temporary emergency accommodations by July 31, 2021 when the Family Shelter is at capacity and hotels/motels are not suitable for larger families; AND WHEREAS due to the COVID-19 pandemic there is a decreased capacity in the Family Shelter and the transitional housing system to a point where facilities must operate at less than half of their occupancy to meet public health standards; AND WHEREAS staff continue to provide temporary emergency accommodations for more than 370 households on a daily basis in the Family Shelter, transitional housing and overflow locations such as hotels, motels and isolation spaces; AND WHEREAS staff indicate in the Report that the health an

WHEREAS the report “ Tabor Apartments – Re-house 24 Families and Cease the Per Diem ” (the Report) seeks to terminate the use of the Tabor apartments at 120-140 St Denis for the purpose of temporary emergency accommodations by July 31, 2021 when the Family Shelter is at capacity and hotels/motels are not suitable for larger families; AND WHEREAS due to the COVID-19 pandemic there is a decreased capacity in the Family Shelter and the transitional housing system to a point where facilities must operate at less than half of their occupancy to meet public health standards; AND WHEREAS staff continue to provide temporary emergency accommodations for more than 370 households on a daily basis in the Family Shelter, transitional housing and overflow locations such as hotels, motels and isolation spaces; AND WHEREAS staff indicate in the Report that the health and safety concerns with the Tabor apartments continue to be actively monitored and immediate remediation of issues required by the landlord through By-law Services and Ottawa Public Health and that the City’s use of the apartments, for temporary emergency accommodations, is preferable for larger families since they do not require multiple hotel rooms; AND WHEREAS households who wish to be accommodated in a hotel/motel instead of the Tabor apartments are moved upon request; AND WHEREAS the pandemic has created some potential vacancies in the private market that otherwise may not have been available during the previous Request fo

BE IT RESOLVED that the Finance and Economic Development Committee and Community and Protective Services Committee approve that the meeting time be extended past 7:00 p.m. pursuant to Subsection 8.(1)(c) of Procedure By-law 2021-24.

BE IT RESOLVED that the Finance and Economic Development Committee approve that the meeting time be extended past 7:00 p.m. pursuant to Subsection 8.(1)(c) of Procedure By-law 2021-24.