Creating and maintaining affordable housing is one of the City of Toronto's key priorities. The Affordable Housing Office expedites affordable housing development, facilitates the development of new policy and works in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and the private and voluntary sectors on a range of initiatives. City Council established the Affordable Housing Office and the Affordable Housing Committee in 2005.
The Close the Housing Gap campaign is gearing up for a new round of activities in 2015. Watch this space for details. Meanwhile, you can make the campaign part of your community event. Contact Nicole Stewart at nstewar@toronto.ca or 416-392-4223 for buttons, posters, brochures and petitions or to arrange to have the campaign booth at your event.
In 2014, its second year, Close the Housing Gap held an Advocacy Day at Queen's Park and spread its message through posters in bus shelters across Toronto.The year began with a Campaign Roundtable which produced ideas for action. In July, a Stakeholders Meeting brought together supporters and endorsers to plan and coordinate future activities with other housing groups.
The City and Toronto Community Housing launched the campaign to persuade the federal and provincial governments to continue funding social housing at existing levels and provide new, long-term funding for social housing capital repairs and new affordable housing.
As well, Ottawa and Queen's Park need to enter into a funding partnership to address the impact of expiring non-profit and co-op social housing agreements.
Details of affordable rental and ownership homes under construction or recently completed.
City Council has allocated $103 million under the federal/provincial Investment in Affordable Housing program.
The City of Toronto is seeking proposals from non-profit organizations to renovate and improve existing transitional and/or supportive housing. Up to $500,000 is available as capital grants by way of forgivable loans from the federal Homelessness Partnering Strategy. A maximum of $75,000 is available for any one proposal. There is a limit of one proposal per organization.
Note: The Toronto Renovates Homeowners Program has more than 700 Assessment Requests that have been processed or are waiting to be processed. This represents more than two years' worth of clients, based on current staffing and anticipated funding –and the program is oversubscribed.
In order to avoid a longer waiting time, the Affordable Housing Office has temporarily suspended accepting Toronto Renovates Assessment Requests as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30, 2014.
Assessment Requests that were provided to people up to September 30 will continue to be accepted. Those submitting Assessment Requests will be advised by letter as to when they can expect their forms to be processed.
A brochure listing other sources of potential funding for home repairs is available here.
It is anticipated that the program will again begin accepting Assessment Requests in 2016, once current clients have been served.
The Toronto Renovates program offers federal/provincial funding for lower-income seniors and people with a disability who wish to make health and safety repairs or accessibility modifications to their homes.
Non-profit housing developers can qualify for exemptions from the City of Toronto's planning application and development fees. In this way, the City helps make new affordable rental housing even more affordable.
The City of Toronto works with a number of groups that provide affordable home ownership opportunities. Please contact our community partners directly to learn what assistance they can offer:
Canary District Condominiums - MyHome Program at 416-603-7576 or canarydistrictmyhome.com
Toronto Community Housing and the Daniels Corporation at 416-955-0559 or danielsoneparkplace.com
Options for Homes at 416-867-1501 or optionsforhomes.ca
Neighbourhood Concepts at 416-461-4663 or neighbourhoodconcepts.ca/selling
Habitat for Humanity Toronto at 416-755-7353 ext. 490 or torontohabitat.ca/apply-for-a-home/information-session-dates.html
Aboriginal purchasers should also contact the Miziwe Biik Development Corporation at 416-640-4688, 416-640-4688 or mbdc.ca/housing_loans.html
The City of Toronto offers assistance for residents coping with poverty, inadequate or unaffordable housing and homelessness.
Low-income homeowners seeking assistance for health and safety repairs can access a variety of government, non-profit and private sector programs.
This committee oversees Affordable Housing Office activities, which include directing federal/ provincial investments in affordable housing in partnership with private and non-profit developers.