Developing local housing and homelessness plans overview
1. Developing Local Housing and
Homelessness Plans
OEMC - September 12th, 2012
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
2. Creating a new housing system for Ontario:
Key Milestones
Long-Term Affordable
• November 2010 - MMAH released the Housing Strategy
Long-Term Affordable Housing
Strategy
• May 2011 - approval of the Housing Housing Services Act
Services Act (HSA)
• August 2011 - release of the Housing Housing Policy
Policy Statement and HSA Regulations Statement
• January 2012 - Housing Services Act
took effect
Local Housing and
Homelessness Plans
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 2
3. Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy
Clarified Roles and Responsibilities:
Province as System Steward
Long-Term Affordable • Overall vision and provincial interests for
Housing Strategy housing
• Set the legislative and policy framework
• Contribute provincial funding
• Report on progress at provincial level
• Engage with the federal government
Municipalities as System Service Managers
• Set local vision for housing, reflecting the
provincial interest
• Provide local leadership
• Develop and implement strategies to address
housing needs
• Contribute to and coordinate housing funding
• Administer housing and homelessness
programs
• Report on progress at local level
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 3
4. Housing Services Act
The Housing Services Act
• Provides greater Service Manager flexibility
for the effective delivery of community based
programs, while strengthening accountability
• Replaces the Social Housing Reform Act
with updated / streamlined provisions,
Housing Services Act including:
– Ministerial Consents
– Waiting List
– Social Housing Review Process for Tenants
– Non-Profit Governance
• Commits to developing a simplified annual
income-tax-based Rent-Geared-to-Income
(RGI) calculation.
• Requires Service Managers to develop and
approve Local Housing and Homelessness
Plans
• States Provincial Interests to be addressed
in the local plans
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 4
5. Housing Services Act
Provincial Interests in a housing and
homelessness system:
• Positive outcomes for Ontarians
• The need to first house people to more
effectively address other challenges
• A role for non-profit corporations and
Housing Services Act cooperatives
• A role for the private market
• Partnerships with different levels of
government
• Respect and dignity for individuals
• Coordination with other services
• Relevance to local circumstances
• A range of housing options
• Appropriate accountability
• Supporting economic prosperity
• Promoting sustainability and conservation
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 5
6. Housing Policy Statement
Seven Actionable Themes
1. Accountability and outcomes
2. Goal of ending homelessness
3. Non-profit housing corporations and non-
profit housing co-operatives
4. The private market
5. Co-ordination with other community
Housing Policy services
Statement
6. A broad range of community needs
7. Environmental sustainability and energy
conservation
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 6
7. OMSSA Housing and Homelessness Resource
Centre
The OMSSA Resource Centre is:
• Partnership led
– MMAH, OMSSA, AMO, Toronto, Housing Services
Corporation, Service Manager Housing Network, Northern
Ontario Service Deliverers Association
• Service Manager needs and capacity focussed
• Both products and services
• Peer-to-peer support
• Ongoing communications
Local Housing and
Homelessness Plans
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 7