A Housing Strategy for Brandon

(from a media conference on the grounds of Fleming School October 4th, 2010)

"That all residents of Brandon will be able to live in safe, appropriate housing that is affordable for their income level."

The City is a facilitator, not a builder or a landlord, of affordable housing (CHMC defines affordable as: The cost of adequate shelter should not exceed 30% of household income. Housing which costs less than this is considered affordable.)

As a facilitator, the City's role includes:

• Setting policy- clear consistently applied policies express the City's commitment to affordable/ attainable housing.
• Establishing regulations- effective use of regulatory authority creates housing choice for residents in the form of attainable home ownership, co-op housing, and rental housing.
• Using resources- strategic use of City resources can leverage an increased supply of affordable/ attainable housing. This includes the gathering of information that impacts housing issues.
• Entering into partnerships- collaboration with the business and non-profit communities and provincial agencies will lead to creative solutions to existing and emerging housing issues.
• Advocating- a commitment to ongoing leadership on housing. Championing and lobbying for community initiatives with other levels of government.
• Promoting quality design and innovation- focus on sustainable, energy-conserving, and attractive design and development of new and conventional housing that will reduce maintenance costs, and increase neighbourhood acceptability.

Why Brandon needs a Housing Strategy:

• Demand for housing (affordable residential, social, and rental in particular) has been exploding.
• Long and growing waiting lists for seniors housing, social housing, and housing modified for person with disabilities.
• Student and student family housing shortages affect BU and ACC- we are losing students when they can't find a place to live.
• Students competing with low income individuals for limited supply of affordable rental units.
• Many seniors on fixed incomes are in need of affordable housing.
• Strong relationship exists between availability of an adequate supply of affordable housing and improved health and economic status.
• Co-operative housing is the best long term solution for many people.

What Can Brandon Do?

• Serviced Land Supply. Maintain a planned supply of serviceable land for residential development of various types and densities.
• City Land. Use of the the City's land holdings to help meet affordable and special housing needs.
• Zoning, Subdivision, and Building Regulations. Minimize regulatory barriers for residential developers.
• Advocacy and Involvement. Advocate about Brandon's housing issues and needs.
• Information and Outreach. Increase public awareness of housing needs, issues, and opportunities for actions.
• Need to build financial and consumer literacy. This would be led by housing partners.
• Measuring Accomplishments. Analyse measures associated with achieving goals; spot emerging trends and monitor issues to help inform City policy and decision-making.
• Policy and Implementation. Keep housing affordability on the City's agenda through continued implementation of the Housing Strategy.
• Market Rental Housing Stock. Encourage the development industry to add more rental housing and landlords to upgrade existing rental housing.
• Establish an Affordable Housing Property Reserve Fund and direct revenues from municipal land sales for 5 years, commencing in November 2010 to the Affordable Housing Property Reserve Fund.

Investigate the use of various financial strategies for funding affordable housing, including:

• Land banking as a potential strategy for addressing the limited supply of land for affordable housing development. Land banking involves the acquisition of land by a municipality prior to expanding urbanization; this land could potentially then be used for affordable housing at a later date.
• Inclusionary zoning would require developers to include a given share of new construction to be affordable by people with low to moderate incomes.
• Promote the usefulness of community land trust for affordable housing developments and explore avenues through with the City, in collaboration with community partners, can establish CLTs which are locally-based private non-profit organizations created to acquire and hold land for the specific purpose of making it available for affordable housing.
• Working in partnership with community groups such as NRC, explore the feasibility of establishing Individual Development Accounts (IDA) and a complementary home ownership program to provide a structured way for low income households to save for a down payment towards the purchase of a home.
• Waiving development charges under certain conditions, selling or leasing surplus city lands for nominal amounts, start-up grants, low interest loans and revolving funds.
• Seek provincial approval to create new classes for property tax purposes that reduces annual property taxes on such types of affordable housing as rental apartments.
• Advocate for more cooperative housing.

But first we need leadership to say that housing is a priority for Brandon. And then we need the plan....

Key Goals of the Brandon Housing Strategy: To put forth a set of recommended actions and strategies that are aimed at meeting the identified needs of residents, that maximize resources and create effective partnerships, and which are consistent with current local objectives and policies.

• Provide an analysis of the housing needs facing residents of Brandon.
• Collaborate with senior government, our municipal neighbours, the region, the housing industry, and community stakeholders in the interests of housing affordability.
• To facilitate partnerships within the community.
• Preserve and increase Brandon's stock of safe, affordable, appropriate housing.
• Decrease the number of Brandon residents in housing need.
• Establish an environment that allows the private market to build affordable.
• Ensure and enforce safety standards in the city's stock of market and nonmarket rental housing.
• Support appropriate infill and intensification.
• Investigate the opportunities of using 25 foot lots.
• Continue to facilitate the legalization and implementation of "granny" suites.
• Limit the loss of existing affordable rental housing, in particular the condo-ization of rental properties.
• Examine financial tools and incentives
• Review, plan, and monitor achievements regularly.
• Work with BU and ACC to help resolve student housing shortages.