Make more land available to build more housing across the city

Recommendation 2 speaks to making more land available to build more housing across the city. Housing providers say that the biggest barriers to building more supply is access to and the cost of land. Maintaining and increasing City-owned land for non-market and affordable market housing is a first step in creating housing affordability.

We have a mandate to implement this action by Q2 2024. There will be a public hearing on rezoning where you can submit comments or address Council. Check back later for updates on this event and more.

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 - Dispose of City-owned lands

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Dispose of City-owned lands as soon as possible within Transit Oriented Development sites suitable for housing, including non-market housing.	The City would investigate ways to sell or lease land near to transit stations and hubs for market and non-market housing. Underutilized City-owned land is a key resource and tool The City can use to create market and non-market housing. The City would identify land near transit hubs and stations and look to sell or lease it for housing where possible.	More housing choices: As the city grows and changes, there will be more housing options in all communities.

Next steps

Further Council decisions would be required to facilitate this.

Action B - Allocate $100M per year to the Housing Land Fund

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Allocate $100M per year to the Housing Land Fund to acquire land or, provide existing City land for the creation of non-market housing. This could be funded through a combination of sources including the mill rate, a percentage of redevelopment levies, or other financial tools.	Funding would be available to acquire land or make sites suitable for housing by, for example, cleaning up contamination or burying overhead power lines. A fund such as this would ultimately allow for more land to used for non-market housing development.	More housing choices: As the city grows and changes, there will be more housing options in all communities.

Next steps

A budget request would be brought forward to City Council for consideration. If approved, the funding would be in place at the beginning of 2024.

Action C - Identify City-Owned parcels of land that collectively can be made shovel ready for Affordable Housing

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Identify City-Owned parcels of land that collectively can be made shovel ready for Affordable Housing (minimum target of 1,000 units). Business Units may need to rationalize future use of said lands that are not needed, in whole or in part, for their intended primary use.	The City will identify City land that is used for affordable housing, to result in 1,000 new affordable homes. Identifying existing City-owned sites would help ensure more land is available to build more housing.	More housing choices: As the city grows and changes, there will be more housing options in all communities.

Next steps

The City would identify suitable sites and work on the process to release them including future Council decisions.

Action D - Develop a program and framework to provide opportunities for land leasing

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Develop a program and framework to provide opportunities for land leasing to non-profit housing providers or land trusts, in addition to the Non-Market Housing Land Disposition Policy.	The City would lease sites for non-market housing, in addition to the current practice of selling them. This policy prioritizes selling of City land, but leasing is also a useful tool to create more non-market housing, particularly as it may mean that more sites would be made available.	More housing choices: As the city grows and changes, there will be more housing options in all communities.

Next steps

The City would conduct internal research and embed this into existing policy. Further Council decisions would be required.

Action E - Collaborate with the Joint Use Coordinating Committee and the school boards

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Collaborate with the Joint Use Coordinating Committee and the school boards, to review all Joint Use and surplus school sites to determine if land is available for housing.	The City would work with its partners to identify whether surplus sites might be available for housing. Identifying surplus sites that could be unlocked would help to increase the supply of non-market housing. The City would conduct internal research and engage with partners to develop solutions.	More housing choices: As the city grows and changes, there will be more housing options in all communities.

Next steps

The City would conduct internal research and engage with partners to develop solutions.

Action F - Allocate $50M in funding for residential uses to the Downtown Calgary Development Incentive Program

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Allocate $50M in funding for residential uses to the Downtown Calgary Development Incentive Program as bridge funding until such time as additional funding is provided by the federal and provincial governments to make up the balance of the program requirements.	This action means that The City would provide funding until the Provincial and Federal Governments provided funding. The City’s Downtown Development Incentive Programs are designed to support the revitalization of Calgary’s downtown core by encouraging the conversion of underused office space into residential units, post-secondary institutions, and other active uses, and by incentivizing the demolition of end-of-life office buildings.	More housing choices: As the city grows and changes, there will be more housing options in all communities.

Next steps

A budget request would be brought forward to City Council for consideration. If approved, the funding would be in place at the beginning of 2024.

Action G - Implement an ongoing pre-qualifying process for providers accessing City-owned land

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Implement an ongoing pre-qualifying process for providers accessing City-owned land through the Non-Market Housing Land Disposition Policy program. This will eliminate duplication of time and effort with each round of land disposition, creating a more equitable process for providers.	The Non-Market Housing Disposition Program sells land at below-market values to qualified non-profit housing providers. Housing providers spoke about how the process is not equitable and is competitive, and costs organizations large capital asks. This action would mean the process for providers to apply to buy sites would be simplified and streamlined.	More housing choices: As the city grows and changes, there will be more housing options in all communities.

Next steps

The City would conduct internal research and engage with partners and bring forward amendments to Council regarding the existing policy.

Recommendations and actions

Recommendation 1

Make it easier to build housing across the city
Recommendation 2

Make more land available to build more housing across the city
Recommendation 3

Ensure that the supply of affordable housing meets the needs of Indigenous people living in Calgary
Recommendation 4

Convene the housing sector to facilitate greater collaboration
Recommendation 5

Increase the investment to support housing providers
Recommendation 6

Ensure more individuals have a safe place to call home