The City of Hamilton develops and administers a range of programs, services and policies to meet the challenge of affordable housing in the community. This includes facilitating partnerships with stakeholders to develop innovative projects and providing loans and grants to leverage private sector investment and re-investment in the existing housing stock.
The Hamilton Affordable Housing Partnership Initiative
On April 10, 2002, City Council adopted this initiative as the City’s pro-active strategy and response to affordable housing supply needs. There are three key components:
- to co-ordinate and promote in a comprehensive manner the housing supply initiatives that are already in place from all levels of government;
- to develop new housing supply initiatives and partnerships in response to new programming and legislative actions by the senior levels of government; and
- to facilitate the development of affordable housing in Hamilton through the Housing Partnership Fund.
The cornerstone of of this initiative and the City's commitment to respond to housing needs is the Housing Partnership Fund. On March 6, 2003, City Council approved an allocation of $1.5 million to the fund, which is a symbol of the City's strong desire to address the affordable rental housing supply needs in our community. As a result, the Housing Partnership Fund and other municipal contributions such as land and administrative resources have levered additional housing supply through new development, rehabilitation and non-residential building conversions.
Community Rental Housing Program
On May 30, 2002, the Governments of Canada and Ontario signed an Affordable Housing Program Agreement which will provide $489.42 million over the next five years to help increase the supply of affordable housing in the province.
Federal funding of $244.71 million, together with matching contributions from the Province of Ontario, municipalities and other private and non-profit partners will help create an estimated 10,500 units in Ontario during the next five years.
In the City of Hamilton, several projects received this funding:
- CityHousing Hamilton (557 Queenston Road) - A 34-unit low-rise apartment complex dedicated to seniors, completed May 2005.
- St. Elizabeth Home Society (307 John Street South) - 26 units targeted to seniors have been approved; completed Spring 2007.
- Taras Shevchenko Home for the Aged (190 Gage Avenue South) - 24 units targeted to seniors have been approved; completed Spring 2006.
- T. Valeri Construction Limited (450 Cumberland Avenue) - 75 townhouses; completed Fall 2006.
Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program - Update
On April 29, 2005, the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario signed an Affordable Housing Agreement, which committed $602 million to affordable housing in Ontario over the next four years. The City of Hamilton is a committed partner, alongside our senior levels of government, to the Affordable Housing Program. In August 2005 the City of Hamilton was allocated 175 units ($12.25 million) under the Rental and Supportive component and 250 units ($3.0 million) under the Housing Allowances component.
Strong Start funding is one component of the Wave One of the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program to fast track the development of up to 500 affordable rental housing projects across the Province of Ontario. The deadline for participation in Strong Start was October 31, 2005. Through Expression of Interest EOI-HB-001, the City of Hamilton secured over $11 million in Strong Start funding to create 162 units of affordable rental housing in the following projects:
- Spallacci Contracting Ltd. (260-280 King Street East) - 123 new rental units; completed Fall 2008.
- Hellenic Community of Hamilton & District (37 Strathcona Avenue North) - 39 new rental units; completed Winter 2008.
- CityHousing Hamilton Corporation (4 Bridgewater Court) - 48 new rental units; estimated project completion date of 2010.
For more information on the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program contact:
Erin Mifflin
Acting Manager, Development & Partnerships
Housing Division
905-546-2424 Ext. 7620
Direct Affordable Housing Production by CityHousing Hamilton
Capital funding of $1.4 million has been allocated to CityHousing Hamilton (the City-owned housing corporations) for immediate development of one or more affordable rental housing projects under the leadership and direction of the Board of Directors. The 557 Queenston Road 34-unit development, finished in May 2005, is the first tangible results of this important City commitment.
CityHousing Hamilton is now working on a new project called Bridgewater Court that is using land that provided by the Province of Ontario at no cost to the City of Hamilton. Bridgewater Court will be a mix of rental and ownership units. The Bridgewater Court concept was designed by Dr. Avi Friedman, Professor, School of Architecture, McGill.
Multi-Residential Property Tax Class
In May 2003, Hamilton City Council reduced the property tax rate for new rental housing to make it equivalent to the residential property tax rate. This improves the economics of operating new rental housing and helps housing providers to raise financing to build rental housing. On average, the savings are equivalent to approximately $100 per month for an apartment unit.
What It Means for Builders of New Rental Housing in Hamilton:
The City of Hamilton recognizes the concerns of builders and developers that constructing new rental housing is financially difficult in our community and throughout the Province.
The City is committed to do whatever it can to make the construction of new rental housing a more viable economic opportunity. Accordingly, in July 2001 the City was one of the first municipalities in Ontario to create a separate property tax class for newly constructed or converted rental multi-residential buildings with more than six units.
To make the construction of new rental housing a more viable economic opportunity, the City established a tax ratio for newly constructed or converted multi-residential rental properties of 1.000%.
Waiving of Development Charges
In June 2004, as part of the Development Charges By-Law #04-145, Council adopted an amendment to waive development charges for certain developments. Affordable housing projects in Hamilton that receive funding from Federal/Provincial housing supply programs, including the Community Rental Housing Program, are exempt from development charges provided that the development charge liabilities are not eligible for funding by senior levels of government.