Leveraging Toronto Community Housing Sites to Build New Modular Supportive Housing - by Councillor Ana Bailão, seconded by Councillor Paula Fletcher

During the COVID-19 pandemic, these homes will also save lives by providing individuals with safe spaces to exercise physical distancing and self-isolation. The City uses a number of initiatives to increase the supply of modular supportive housing: At its meeting of April 30, 2020, City Council adopted Item 2020.CC20.6 - Implementing the Toronto Modular Housing Initiative as an Urgent Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. City Council authorized the Housing Secretariat, Corporate Real Estate Management and CreateTO, in consultation with City Planning, Toronto Buildings and other Divisions, to identify sites appropriate for the modular housing initiative and ways to expedite the necessary building and planning approvals to deliver up to 250 modular housing units. The Rapid Housing Initiative was announced by the Government of Canada on September 21, 2020. The Rapid Housing Initiative will deliver $1 billion in grant funding nationally to rapidly create new affordable rental housing in response to the urgent housing needs of vulnerable and marginalized individuals. On October 27, 2020, the Government of Canada announced the City of Toronto's allocation of $203,265,729. The City has committed to build create 540 new supportive homes through the Rapid Housing Initiative by end of 2021 through the construction of modular housing, as well as the acquisition of land, and the conversion of existing buildings to affordable housing. Leveraging Toronto Community Housing Corporation's sites is a unique and cost-effective opportunity for the City to maximize the capital and operating funding provided by all orders of government to increase the supply of supportive housing through modular construction.

2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to consult with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation in the assessment and selection of sites deemed appropriate for the construction of modular supportive housing. 3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in consultation with the local Councillor and the Toronto Community Housing Corporation, to develop a community engagement strategy for all modular housing projects on Toronto Community Housing Corporation's sites. 4. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to negotiate and execute, on behalf of the City, nominal rent lease agreements (the "Leases") in relation to the selected Toronto Community Housing Corporation owned sites, each lease having a term of up to 50 years less a day on the terms and conditions acceptable to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, and to execute the Leases, and any ancillary agreements or documents, as required, on behalf of the City. 5. Subject to approval of Recommendation 4 above, City Council, as sole shareholder, direct the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board of Directors to negotiate and execute Leases as described in Recommendation 4 above on terms and conditions otherwise acceptable to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board, and to ensure that there will be no delay in entering into such Leases. 6. City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to provide Service Manager consent to such Leases pursuant to subsections 161(2) and 162(2) of the Housing Services Act.