Increase the investment to support housing providers
This recommendation speaks to increasing the investment to support housing providers. Housing providers and non-profit organizations are challenged to operate and maintain affordable housing programs due to record inflation and increasing costs.
The City has opportunities to reduce pressure on non-profit housing providers and support the housing sector to work together to address the housing need in Calgary. Working collaboratively with sector partners on a variety of topics will strengthen the sector
Have your say
Public submissions and presentations will be accepted at the Committee meeting on Sep 14, 2023. To learn more about how you can share your thoughts on these recommendations please visit: https://www.calgary.ca/council/meetings/public-hearing.html
Action items
Action A - Advocate to the Provincial and Federal Governments
| What is the action? | What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made? | How would this affect Calgary? |
|---|---|---|
|
Advocate to:
|
The City would advocate for more sustainable sources of land and funding for housing from the provincial and federal governments. The provincial and federal governments can support the creation of new affordable homes through amending policies and providing consistent and predictable funding for cities to address their housing need. |
More housing across the city would be developed consistently and allow for funding for housing providers to build and operate housing to be readily available to meet the housing need of Calgary. |
Next steps
The City would incorporate these advocacy initiatives into existing advocacy efforts and conversations with the provincial and federal governments.
Action B - Enact a bylaw to exempt properties from the municipal portion of property tax
| What is the action? | What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made? | How would this affect Calgary? |
|---|---|---|
|
Enact a municipal bylaw under s. 364 of the Municipal Government Act to exempt properties held by non-profit organizations providing non-market housing from the municipal portion of property tax. |
If, ultimately, the bylaw was approved by Council, non-profit housing providers that operate affordable housing would not have to pay the municipal portion of their property tax. Housing providers have financial constraints for operating and maintaining affordable homes. The removal of having housing providers pay municipal property taxes allows this money to be reinvested towards keeping homes more affordable. |
More housing across the city would be developed consistently and allow for funding for housing providers to build and operate housing to be readily available to meet the housing need of Calgary. |
Next steps
Administration would propose a bylaw for Council’s consideration that would create the exemption. Council would then need to approve the bylaw.
Action C - Advocate to exempt properties from the provincial portion of property tax
| What is the action? | What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made? | How would this affect Calgary? |
|---|---|---|
|
Advocate to the Province to exempt properties held by non-profit organizations that are providing non-market housing from the provincial portion of property tax. |
The City would advocate to the provincial government to exempt both the provincial and municipal portion of their property tax. Housing providers have financial constraints for operating and maintaining affordable homes. The removal of having housing providers pay municipal property taxes allows this money to be reinvested towards keeping homes more affordable. |
More housing across the city would be developed consistently and allow for funding for housing providers to build and operate housing to be readily available to meet the housing need of Calgary. |
Next steps
The City would incorporate these advocacy initiatives into existing efforts and conversations with the provincial and federal governments.
Action D - Create a separate funding stream for organizations prioritizing housing needs
| What is the action? | What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made? | How would this affect Calgary? |
|---|---|---|
|
Amend the terms of the Housing Incentive Program to create a separate funding stream dedicated to organizations prioritizing housing needs for specific populations. |
The existing Housing Incentive Program, which provides pre-development funding, would be amended to support and incentivize housing for specific populations. This program expansion would allow for more housing providers to access grant funding for the development applications of housing for specific populations. |
More housing across the city would be developed consistently and allow for funding for housing providers to build and operate housing to be readily available to meet the housing need of Calgary. |
Next steps
Administration would amend the existing programs Terms of Reference alongside partner engagement, and then bring forward these amendments for future Council approval.
Recommendations and actions
-
Make it easier to build housing across the city
-
Make more land available to build more housing across the city
-
Ensure that the supply of affordable housing meets the needs of Indigenous people living in Calgary
-
Convene the housing sector to facilitate greater collaboration
-
Increase the investment to support housing providers
-
Ensure more individuals have a safe place to call home