New Housing Opportunities on the Danforth - by Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Frances Nunziata

The landscape has changed considerably since April: we have a new Mayor, a new Development and Growth Services Division has been established, and a new Deputy City Manager has been appointed to lead this new service area. In September, City Council adopted Mayor Chow's Motion EX7.2 - Urgently Building More Affordable Homes which included: 1. City Council direct the City Manager, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, to work with all of the agencies, boards, corporations and divisions at the City of Toronto to assess preliminary cost estimates, to create a plan, and an implementation framework and timeline to achieve 25,000 new rent-controlled homes by: a. increasing the affordable housing target by a minimum of 7,500 affordable homes, of which a minimum 2,500 are new rent-geared-to-income homes; and b. adding a new target for 17,500 rent-controlled homes. 2. To support Part 1 above, City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to report back in the fourth quarter of 2023 on: c. identification of housing-ready sites that are immediately available and suitable, including land owned by the City, co-ops, non-profit housing providers, governmental organizations and other partners. Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing is a housing-ready site on the Danforth with an opportunity to be realized through the re-development of the properties next door. This partnership model which has been successful at the Riverdale Co-op redevelopment by next door neighbour Streetcar on Queen East could be replicated on the Danforth and indeed across the city. To support delivery of the above recommendations, particularly to achieve net new Rent-Geared-to-Income, affordable rental and other rent-controlled homes I am requesting City Council support my Motion.

3. City Council authorize the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, in consultation with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to provide $500,000 in funding, inclusive of Harmonized Sales Tax and disbursements, from the Capital Revolving Reserve Fund for Affordable Housing (XR1058) for the purpose of conducting pre-development activities related to the future redevelopment of 1117 Danforth Avenue in Ward 14, fully funded from the Section 37 (Planning Act Reserve Fund) community benefits from 462 Eastern Avenue and 176 Logan Avenue (Source Account: XR3026-3701089) subject to the transfer of the designated funds from Account XR3026-3701089 to Account XR1058. 4. City Council increase the 2023 Operating Budget for Housing Secretariat by $500,000 gross, $0 net for affordable housing at 1117 Danforth Avenue funded from the Capital Revolving Reserve Fund for Affordable Housing (XR1058) to support pre-development activities referred to in Recommendation 1 above. 5. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to negotiate and enter into on behalf of the City, an agreement and any other documents deemed necessary, with Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing and to fund the pre-development work necessary to inform the decisions to be made with respect to the redevelopment of 1117 Danforth Avenue, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. 6. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services to report to the Executive Committee on October 31, 2023, as part of the report back on Item EX7.2, to include an initial plan to develop net new affordable rental, rent-geared-to-income and rent-controlled market homes, in addition to replacing all existing Rent-Geared-to-Income homes, as part of the future redevelopment of 1117 Danforth Avenue.