The Distrig Municipality of Muskoka

THE DISTRIG MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT 70 PINE STREET, BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO P1L 1N3 Telephone (705) 645-2412 Fax (705) 645-5319 1-800-461-4210 (705 area code) www.muskoka.on.ca

TO: Chair and Members Community Services Committee

FROM: Rick Williams Commissioner of Community Services

DATE: January 9, 2008

SUBJECT: Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - DOOR Funding

REPORT NO: CS-1-2008-8

RECOMMENDATION

THAT The District Municipality of Muskoka again approach the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to request special funding for housing initiatives given the strong need and interest in Muskoka and our exclusion from special DOOR funding made available to most municipalities in 2007.

ORIGIN

Previous District of Muskoka Council item.,

ANALYSIS

The majority of Ontario municipalities received special funding under the 2007 'DOOR' program.,

Muskoka was excluded from this funding and a letter requesting inclusion sent by the District Chair..

With potential year-end flexibility approaching and given continued need and interest in additional funding it may be timely to approach the new Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (The Honourable Jim Watson) for support"

Attached are:

• Letters from District Chair, Gord Adams, dated April 11 , 2007 and June 27, 2007; • Presentation material from August 2007 when the District Chair requested a meeting with the Minister; • Listing of DOOR funds distributed"

Respectfully submitted,

Rick Williams Commissioner of Community Services Managing Our Legacy Together THElllSIRla-MuNIClPAUTY OF-MUSKOKA

70 PINE STREET, BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO Pi L. 1N3 Telephone (705) 645-2231 Fax (705) 645-5319 1·.s00-461·4210 (705 area code) wwwmuskokaon.ca

Office of the District Chair April 11, 2007

Honourable John Gerretsen Minister's Office Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing 17th Floor, "177 Bay Street Toronto, ON M5G 2E5

Dear Mr. Gerretsen: /~t

I am writing today to express to you the disappointment with which we face the recent announcement concerning DOOR funding for Ontario's Service Managers for Housing.

Staff from The District Municipality of Muskoka were first made aware of the DOOR funding news while in attendance at the recent Northern Ontario Service Delivery Agents' (NOSDA) Annual General Meeting in North Bay. A visit to the Ministry's website confirmed that Muskoka is one of only eight Service Managers in the province to be excluded from the list of funding recipients. This was of some surprise to us, as Muskoka has a record of long term, active participation in the promotion and delivery of affordable and soCial housing. Most recently, we have accomplished the very successful delivery of a project under the Strong Start component of the Affordable Housing Program.

After several fact finding calls, we have determined that, while one key criteria for consideration for funding was having one or more new rental construction proposals ready to be rolled out very quickly, it was certainly not the only selection criteria.

Additionally, Service Managers from the Northern Region (MMAH) were all granted an allocation, with little regard to project readiness. As a Service Manager, Muskoka is part of the Northeast Region for both the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Housing is the only component of our integrated Community Services programs for which we are not considered part of Northern Ontario

As well, it would appear that other Service Managers, not in the North, and without ready projects, also received allocations

It is difficult to perceive or understand the equity or fairness of a distribution model that excludes only 8 of 47 Service Manager entities. This is particularly true when one considers that, while the "intent" of the distribution was to support capital housing endeavours, no legal agreements bind Service Managers to this requirement and the funding is, in essence, an unconditional grant Despite this, Muskoka would have no issue with committing to spend such funding solely in the area of housing, either to expand

Managing Our Leqac!j Toqeti1er supply, enhance accessibility, or to ensure ongoing soundness of existing stock through capital investment

To this end, I would ask you to reconsider your decision to exclude The District Municipality of Muskoka from this funding opportunity, and to ensure that, as a viable, active Service Manager for Housing, we are granted the same recognition, acknowledgement and opportunities to further that work as our other municipal counterparts.

Sincerely, ". ejj .tt C..... ::~>J.X('l( . GordAdams District Chair THE J)lsIRIQ MUNICIPALITY OLMlJSKOKJ\

70 PINE STREET, BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO P1 L 1N3 Telephone ('705) 645-2231 Fax (705) 645-5319 1-800-461-4210 (705 area code) * www.muskoka"onca Office of the District Chair

June 27, 2007

The Honourable John Gerretsen Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing 777 Bay Street, 1i h Floor Toronto, ON M5G 2E5

Dear Mr. Gerretsen:

On April 11, 2007 I wrote you with concerns that The District Municipality of Muskoka had been omitted from any funding consideration for the DOOR Housing allocations.

To date I have not received a reply to that letter which requested that you reconsider the allocation process and include us for a fair allocation"

I am writing to restate that request and request that you meet with me and Fran Coleman, Chair of our Community Services Committee during AMO in August.

The District Municipality of Muskoka will have completed our Request for Proposals for the Affordable Housing Program new initiatives and it may be that coming out of that process we may be able to present ideas for additional allocations to Muskoka and possible realignment of tDat allocation to more flexible funding opportunities such as the DOOR program. We would provide you with additional information related to our needs prior to our meeting.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and I look forward to meeting with you"

Sincerely, o<£/~ GordAdams District Chair

cc Fran Coleman, Muskoka District Council Jim Green, Chief Administrative Officer Rick Williams, Commissioner of Community Services

Mana.qing Our Legac!J Together There is a major problem of affordability in Muskoka

.. House and land prices continue to escalate 10%+ per year, primarily driven by cottage development and boomer retirements .. This is placing pressure on all housing prices including rental rates .. However declines in manufacturing and tourism employment are reducing the incomes for many Muskoka families

------_.._- There is a major problem of affordability in Muskoka

• Muskoka incomes are low-average among Northern communities and houshold income is 76% of the Provincial average • Among the non-seasonal population incomes are low-average and declining while housing costs are escalating 10%+

._--.__.. _--_._--_._--_.. _------

Muskoka Social Housing Facts

II Muskoka has 13.4 units per 1/000

householdsl only 27% of the Provincial rate of 48.8 units among OMSI participating municipalities !!! Waiting list and waiting time levels in Muskoka are near provincial norms (22% on wait list placed annually) but beginning to rise qUickly . II Muskoka has been able to fully allocate our 25 new AHP units ( pending Provincial approval) ------Muskoka Social Housing Facts

.. Muskoka was surprisingly excluded from the year-end DOOR funding while many smaller communities with less pressing problems received windfalls. .. There are several needs and initiatives (AHP interest/ Seniors housing Pines project/ Gravenhurst Homes initiative/..) that could be implemented soon

-- -_.-_.--,,-._.....__.

Request

.. Additional 10 ($700,000) units funding within AHP

II Flexibility to utilize 5 units ($350,000) within DOOR program gUidelines

L-- . ._.. __ Year-End Investments in Housing Page 1 of2

r")h: ~sttyof Municipal Affarrs and Housmg t?Ontario I central site I feedback I search I site map I Search this section

Year-End Investments in Housing

Delivering Opportunities for Ontario Renters (DOOR)

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing recognizes the contributions of Service Managers in enhancing the quality of life for the people of Ontario by providing rental housing for low income households.

To build on the success of municipal delivery of housing for low income households, the government announced in the 2007 Budget that it is providing a one-time grant of $127 million which is allocated as follows:

Municipal Region Funding ($M) Algoma DSSAB 0.350 Bruce, County of 0,605 Chatham-Kent, Municipality of 0.775 Cochrane DSSAB 1.475 Durham, Regional Municipality of 2.085 Greater Sudbury, City of 2.635 Grey, County of 1.090 Halton, Regional Municipality of 2.085 Hamilton, City of 6.580 Hastings, County of 0.775 Huron, County of 0.915 Kawartha Lakes, City of 2.175 Kenora DSSAB 0.625 Kingston, City of 6.620 Lanark, County of 1.845 Leeds & Grenville, Utd Counties of 1.125 London, City of 3.425 Manitoulin-Sudbury DSSAB 0.350 Niagara, Regional Municipality of 4.285 Nipissing DSSAB 3.780 Norfolk, County of 0.425 Northumberland, County of 0.775 Ottawa, City of 7,,120 Parry Sound DSSAB 0.425 Peel, Regional Municipality of 6.410 Peterborough, City of 3.790 Prescott & Russell, Utd Counties of 1.475

http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page4596.aspx 1/9/2008 Year-End Investments in Housing Page 2 of2

Rainy River DSSAB 0.350 Renfrew, County of 1.475 Sault Ste. Marie DSSAB 0.350 Simcoe, County of 4.590 Stratford, City of 2.175 Thunder Bay DSSAB 2.525 Timiskaming DSSAB 0,350 Toronto, City of 26.690 Waterloo, Regional Municipality of 11.375 Wellington, County of 0.785 Windsor, City of 2.,750 York, Regional Municipality of 9.665 Total 127.10

• QJheL HousingJnvestments

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http://www.mah.gov.on.calPage4596.aspx 119/2008