June 19, 2002, York Region Housing Supply Strategy pursues wider affordable housing choices

NEWMARKET – An action-based housing supply strategy that will provide a wider range of housing options was brought forward to York Region's Community Services and Housing Committee today.

"As our communities become more urban and populous, our challenge as a regional government is to help ensure that the housing needs of all residents – youth, seniors, single persons, couples and households with special needs – are met," said Regional Chair and CEO Bill Fisch. "I believe the York Region Housing Supply Strategy will guide us in meeting this challenge."

The proposed Strategy will encourage the creation of new affordable housing and influence the supply of much-needed new affordable rental housing in local municipalities. It addresses three key areas:

Affordable Home Ownership - by developing opportunities to ensure the production of

ownership housing for moderate income households.

Private Sector Rental Housing - by engaging in partnerships with private sector landlords to increase the supply of rental housing.

Non-profit Housing - by working with our community partners to begin to address the

waiting list for assisted housing and housing for people with special needs.

"Critical to the success of this Strategy will be the support of the community and the development of new partnerships to create affordable housing," said Newmarket Mayor Tom Taylor, Chair of the Community Services and Housing Committee.

As part of the Housing Supply Strategy, York Region has set a goal to establish 100 new subsidized units each year through partnerships with the private and non-profit sectors.

A draft Municipal Housing Facilities Bylaw was also tabled before Committee that will enable the Region to enter into agreements with the private and non-profit sectors. In addition, a proposed Request for Proposals (RFP) framework aimed at potential partners who have the capacity to develop, own and operate affordable rental housing was tabled.

The Strategy, together with the draft Municipalities Housing Facilities Bylaw and the proposed RFP process will be brought forward to Regional Council on June 27, 2002 for adoption and final approval. They will then be forwarded to local municipalities for review and endorsement.

For more information on The Regional Municipality of York, the services we offer and links to our nine area municipalities, please visit our Web site at: www.region.york.on.ca.

See attached fact sheet regarding York Region's need for Affordable Housing.

Contact: Wendy Lewis, Corporate Communications Services, York Region

- (905) 830-4444 or 1-877-464-9675, ext. 1238

- Email: wendy.lewis@region.york.on.ca

Fact Sheet

June 19, 2002

Why York Region needs a Housing Supply Strategy

In York Region, the need for a housing supply strategy is now. Why does such an urgency exist? Consider the facts:

The Affordability Problem

25% of the region's homeowner households pay over 30% of income on housing
40% of the region's renter households pay over 30% of income on housing

The waiting list for social housing is 4,800 households
There is increasing pressure on emergency shelters

Housing Costs are High

The average house price for all resale dwelling types in the region is 13% higher ($288,010) than the GTA as a whole ($251,508).
Resale prices tend to be higher in the southern part of the Region than they are in the northern part
Rental costs have increased substantially in the last ten years, and have increased at twice the rate of inflation over this period.

York Region's Population is Changing

York Region is growing at 40,000 new residents a year

In 2026, York Region will have 1.28 million people
Non-family groups will rise from 14% (in 1996) to 27% of all households
Seniors will increase by 300%

.York Region's Household Incomes are Changing

the number of low-income households -- those making less than $30,000 annually -- increased by 114% between 1991 and 1996 to 17,820 households
Between 1991 and 1996, the proportion of medium income households -- those making between $30,000 and $69,999 -- decreased from 40% to 37%
Average incomes for tenants declined for every household type between 1991 and 1996.

What Employers are Saying

Based on an employer survey, housing costs are increasingly becoming an issue
Businesses lose potential and experienced employees are having difficulty attracting young, entry level employees because of high housing costs and long commutes.
In order to attract qualified works, some employers have to provide incentives such as travel subsidies

For more detailed information on York region's housing profile, visit the Planning and Development Services pages on York Region Web site: www.region.york.on.ca