Consult and Act for housing and justice. Make the politicians and organizations listen!
Melissa Goldstein: You might want to connect with the Housing Now group on Facebook if you want to learn more and stay up to date.
Compiled and presented by Melissa Goldstein, a community activist, who is hosting her own event on Tuesday, Building our way out of our affordable housing crisis (maximizingaffordablehousing.eventbrite.com), which you can still register for.
Dwelling Room OPA:
You can read PNLT & the Dwelling Room Working Group’s final submission here: //docs.google.com/document/d/1Q-4LvujVtqHl5LrcXLCOBTPPvbODSguKt6cy55T-MyQ/edit?usp=sharing and read the deputation I delivered here: //docs.google.com/document/d/1N7V8EfsCmnYBDjXUGr7fwrpd27ntiU7oP5czuL3X_-A/edit?usp=sharing The draft policy was approved with only one amendment, and it is unclear what the implications of that amendment are. The amendment may mean that the OPA will now not apply to dwelling rooms located in parts of the city where rooming houses are illegal. (Contrary to what City staff told the Committee during the meeting.) I’ve emailed the City (twice) and Gord Perks, asking for clarification about what the new language means and I haven’t heard back yet. I will follow up again this week. The OPA goes to Council for approval on June 18th.
Federal Right to Housing Amendments introduced.
CALL TO ACTION: Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness: “While we have every reason to believe the budget bill will pass with these amendments, we are facing a federal election this fall and it is urgently important that federal politicians and parties see strong public support for ending homelessness and housing rights so that our important gains are not lost.” Read more:
Download communications materials to share across your social media platforms, in newsletters, and directly to politicians of all levels of government: //www.dropbox.com/sh/otzum5vaiabnhb0/AABh-sPAoisfZWVE2o9BTuaGa?dl=0
City Budget 2020:
CALL TO ACTION: Endorse NEW C2C Budget 2020 Letter (amended to frame it in the context of provincial cuts) by June 14th. (Letter is attached.) Email Israt iahmed@socialplanningtoronto.org to endorse the letter.
Provincial Community Housing Renewal Strategy:
CALL TO ACTION: Proposed regulations (impacting RGI, waitlists, etc.) are open for comments until July 1st.
Inclusionary Zoning:
ACORN has developed and released an Inclusionary Zoning Best Practice report, which provides clear guidelines on how to define affordability, incentives thresholds, and set aside rates.
CALL TO ACTION: Send a letter to a City Councillor on the City of Toronto’s Planning & Housing Committee and let them know we need bold action to help address the housing crisis.
You can also send an automatic letter via ACORN’s website
Share ACORN’s Inclusionary Zoning infographic on Twitter and Facebook and tag your City Councillor
Bill 108 (development charges, section 37 benefits, IZ, etc):
Had a very short window to provide feedback. It is now closed. See Toronto Community Benefits Networks recommendations: //docs.google.com/document/d/1LCkEXRD9k_NBMkV0AkgcHnJukAD3S6uUXYLOpe8Ym_w/edit?usp=sharing
See City of Toronto’s online resource with fact sheets on the proposed changes in Bill 108: //www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/bill-108-changes-to-ontarios-planning-system/
Special committee on governance:
We wanted them to create an Affordable Housing subcommitee… They are now holding public consultations: //www.toronto.ca/community-people/get-involved/public-consultations/#item/665
Affordable housing opportunities
Council asked staff for a report on whether more affordable housing units should be required in future Toronto Community Housing revitalizations, based on a site-by-site evaluation. That is one of several recommendations adopted as part of an agenda item involving an audit that produced recommendations to help achieve broader city-building objectives and improve accountability in Toronto Community Housing’s revitalization projects. (from Paula Fletcher)
**********ALL THE HOUSING EVENTS************:
June 4th – 9:30am-12:30pm
HousingTO Stakeholder consultation: Theme: The City needs to create the right supply of housing for all residents across Toronto
YWCA Toronto, Auditorium
This workshop is an opportunity to provide your input on:
-the actions the City needs to take to create the right supply of housing to meet the needs of residents over the next 10 years.
-the resources that other orders of government and organizations (including yours) can provide to help the City in achieving this goal.
-how the City can ensure that new housing opportunities are created in all parts of the City.
To register for this workshop, click HERE
June 4: 2pm-4:30pm
Building our way out of our affordable housing crisis: What BC can teach us about maximizing the affordable housing potential of public land and non-profit assets
//www.eventbrite.com/e/building-our-way-out-of-our-affordable-housing-crisis-what-bc-can-teach-us-about-maximizing-the-tickets-62012026641
June 4: 6:30pm
Ending youth homelessness, what would it take?
CSI Spadina, 192 Spadina Ave.
Register at: tiny.cc/youth4housing4youth
June 5th: 6:30-8:30pm
HousingTO Expert Panel, roundtable discussion, report back w/ Kristyn Wong-Tam
June 6th – Regent Park Community Centre – 1:30pm-4:30pm
HousingTO Stakeholder consultation: Theme: Toronto needs to incorporate “housing as a human right” in its policies and programs.
This workshop is an opportunity to provide your input on:
-what a human rights-based approach to housing would look like in Toronto.
-how a human rights-based approach to housing would influence the development of City programs and policies.
To register for this workshop, click HERE
June 10 6pm-9pm, presentation at 7pm
Meeting about Housing Now site: 777 Victoria Park Avenue
Location of meeting: Seicho-No-le Toronto Centre, 662 Victoria Park Avenue
Community Meeting to introduce the Housing Now Initiative and share and seek feedback on conceptual designs and preliminary directions for the first four sites being developed. www.createto.ca/housingnow
June 11th – 9:30am-12:30pm
HousingTO Stakeholder consultation: Theme: The City needs to value all of Toronto’s existing housing supply and support its residents.
YWCA Toronto, Auditorium
This workshop is an opportunity to provide your input on:
-the actions the City needs to take to ensure the existing supply of housing is valued, maintained, and efficiently used and accessed by residents.
-the resources that other orders of government and organizations (including yours) can provide to help the City in achieving this goal.
To register for this workshop, click HERE
June 12, 2019 6 P.M. – 9 P.M. presentation at 7pm
Meeting about Housing Now site: 50 Wilson Heights Boulevard
Location of meeting: Beth David B’nai Israel Beth Am, 55 Yeomans Road
Community Meeting to introduce the Housing Now Initiative and share and seek feedback on conceptual designs and preliminary directions for the first four sites being developed. www.createto.ca/housingnow
June 12, from 5:30 – 7:30pm at Artscape Daniels Launchpad
workshop featuring roundtable sessions and interactive displays designed to identify issues and generate ideas for addressing the challenges artist-led families and cultural workers face in the wake of Toronto’s high-cost housing market
RSVP: //artscape.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=acd254ffeee86eb9309101abc&id=d96c13ec1c&e=c38258127a
June 12, 7-9pm
HousingTO international public panel discussion on housing. Panelists from Vancouver, Chicago, and Cleveland will present inspiring ideas and lessons learned on eliminating homelessness, creating mixed-income communities and boosting the supply of affordable housing in cities across North America.
Open to all City of Toronto residents, however space is limited. RSVP: //bit.ly/2JOtDUz
*The City will record this event and share the recording publicly, through the HousingTO website: Toronto.ca/housingplan
June 13- full day
HousingTO international public panel invite-only forum
(Sorry, can’t find link to event invite!)
Thursday, June 13 | 1pm-3pm
Expropriate 214-230 Sherbourne
Rally at 230 Sherbourne, followed by march to City Hall.
Facebook | Website | Lunch Provided
June 13, 6 P.M. – 9 P.M. presentation at 7pm
Meeting about Housing Now site: 705 Warden Avenue
Meeting location: Warden Hilltop Community Centre, 25 Mendelssohn Street
Community Meeting to introduce the Housing Now Initiative and share and seek feedback on conceptual designs and preliminary directions for the first four sites being developed. //www.createto.ca/housingnow
June 17:
Budget Committee meets at City Hall to discuss/decide the budget direction for the 2020 City budget
June 17: evening
HousingTO: PARC community consultation (email Melissa for details: pnlt@parc.on.ca)
June 18:
City Council vote on Dwelling Room OPA and Inclusionary Zoning
June 18: evening
HousingTO: West end hipster community consultation – evening (email Melissa for details: pnlt@parc.on.ca)
Thursday, June 20, 2019 6pm-9pm, presentation at 7pm
Meeting about Housing Now site: 140 Merton Street
Meeting location: North Toronto Memorial Community Centre, multipurpose room, 200 Eglinton West.
Community Meeting to introduce the Housing Now Initiative and share and seek feedback on conceptual designs and preliminary directions for the first four sites being developed. www.createto.ca/housingnow
June 26, 1-4pm
PARC
Dwelling Room Working Group meeting: topic – HousingTO submissions
June 26, 6-8pm
Indigenizing cities: Honouring the truth and reconciling for a collaborative future
June 28: Last day to submit material to HousingTO Plan
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