Attachment 1: Section 4-5 Underpass Park 4.5 INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES A number of new inclusive in the well-being and prosperity of communities will be created in portions people by providing housing choice of the Port Lands, accommodating and amenities, enabling social a diverse population with a range of interaction, accommodating active household incomes and sizes in close lifestyles and ensuring economic proximity to the job opportunities in opportunity. There is a conviviality and the Port Lands and South of Eastern liveliness in an inclusive community. areas, and also central Toronto. Community life spills out onto streets, when parks and open spaces are An inclusive community is a place designed to meet the needs of people where people of all incomes, of all ages and abilities. Buildings ages and abilities coexist, and are well proportioned and positively are equally afforded the ability to contribute to the public realm to actively participate in all aspects of foster social interaction and “eyes on community life. It is about investing the street”. Port Lands Planning Framework 204 SECTION DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS - 4.5 - INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES 4 Within a Port Lands context, provision of a variety of housing delivering inclusive communities types and tenures, including units will be achieved by ensuring the of varying sizes, affordable rental and ownership housing and market ownership housing. A high-quality living environment for all people will also be advanced through on-site open spaces, amenities and other elements to meet the physical, social and psychological needs of everyone who will call the Port Lands home. Other prerequisites for inclusive communities, such as an animated and vibrant public realm, the provision of community infrastructure, and a high-quality, human-scaled built form, are addressed in other sections of this Framework. This section focuses on housing St. Lawrence Neighbourhood, a phased developed from the mid 1970s, and day-to-day amenities within is an example of one of Toronto’s first complete communities. living environments. 4.5.1 A City-wide Opportunity Toronto has an ongoing affordable housing crisis. This will provide housing housing crisis. Rental vacancy rates for many Torontonians who are are at the lowest they’ve been in the overburdened by their housing costs, last 10 years. Housing prices have and could assist some of the many skyrocketed. There is not enough new thousands of people who are currently rental housing being built, and the on waiting lists for subsidized housing. City’s homeless shelters are at capacity. Toronto has 220,000 households in Villiers Island and the McCleary core housing need that are struggling District have the potential to support to pay rent, or that are living in under- a residential population of between repaired homes or in crowded or 16,000 to 21,000 people. These dangerous conditions. future residents will be primarily accommodated in mid- and high- The new communities envisioned in rise housing with approximately the Port Lands provide an opportunity 4,800 residential units anticipated in to provide a significant amount of new Villiers Island and 4,700 units in the housing affordable to low, moderate McCleary District. Depending on the and middle income families and different delivery models discussed individuals that can support closing the in this section, between 1,480 to housing gap and addressing the city’s 1,915 affordable rental housing 205 Port Lands Planning Framework units are estimated in the near- to a diverse and full range of housing medium-terms, with the potential for that can fulfill the needs of all people, additional affordable rental housing including families and seniors. units if Polson Quay and South River Toronto’s housing boom has seen transition over time to a mixed-use the proliferation of hundreds of tall community. Much of this housing buildings, predominately in Toronto’s potential will be achieved on the downtown and its centres. Of the large tracts of publicly owned land 85,166 residential units completed in the Port Lands. While the publicly in Toronto between 2011 and 2015, owned land available in the Port 84 per cent were condominium Lands is a key opportunity, all mixed- apartments. Only seven per cent use residential development will be of the completions were for rental required to contribute to the delivery housing. Further, the units constructed of affordable housing and to the are generally small, with the majority creation of inclusive communities. being one bedroom units and often marketed to young professionals, This Framework emphasizes the couples or empty nesters. The need for affordable rental housing general aim of this Framework is to to be delivered in lock-step with broaden the types of units that will be market ownership housing. There is delivered in the Port Lands to achieve also ample opportunity for ensuring a more balanced household mix. Villiers and McCleary District Port Lands Planning Framework 206 SECTION DIRECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS - 4.5 - INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES 4 4.5.2 Background Context Both the City’s Official Plan and per cent affordable rental housing in the Central Waterfront Secondary recognition of the relative dearth of Plan (CWSP) includes policy direction new rental housing in the city, and that supports the development in particular new affordable rental of inclusive communities, and in housing. The requirement has been particular policies requiring the secured through a variety of means, provision of affordable housing. including stand alone rental buildings or units on public and private lands, The City’s Official Plan recognizes the the conveyance of land to the City or importance of providing a full range the provision of cash-in-lieu. of housing in terms of form, tenure and affordability. The Plan requires Some of the initial planning that the replacement of existing rental was advanced in earlier waterfront stock, and, as a priority community precincts provided flexibility for benefit, on larger sites mandates a a developer to choose the delivery requirement to provide 20 per cent model with a lack of specificity on affordable housing. It also encourages the actual mechanics for securing new affordable rental housing in new the affordable rental housing developments. requirement. Importantly, the different delivery models were not The CWSP established a goal for the equal, nor were they effective at provision of 25 per cent affordable ensuring the provision of a full range housing in all new developments, of housing in the waterfront. irrespective of the size of a particular site. It identifies that the greatest Lessons learned in these other proportion of this housing should be waterfront communities highlight affordable rental housing, while also the need to ensure that key ensuring that at least a quarter of the directions are integrated into units be two bedroom units or larger. Official Plan policies from the outset, Consistent with the City’s Official Plan, rather than determined through affordable rental housing is defined precinct planning processes. in the Plan. The CWSP also defines Equally important, is ensuring that affordable ownership housing and a more appropriate level of detail low-end-of-market housing. The latter is included within policies to offer is defined as small private ownership both consistency and transparency in housing units. The CWSP does not their application. provide a specific breakdown for the quantum of affordable rental versus The low-end-of-market housing is affordable ownership and low-end of a legacy policy from the former market housing. City of Toronto Official Plan that was carried forward into the CWSP. The City’s practice in implementing The original intent was that smaller the affordable housing policy in other units were perceived to be more waterfront communities generally has affordable and would assist in been to secure the equivalent of 20 contributing to overall housing 207 Port Lands Planning Framework affordability. However, experience Further, recognition of other types of in the city is that this has been housing, such as mid-range affordable an ineffective tool for ensuring rental and affordable ownership, affordability. The trend in unit sizes in is equally important. There also market developments throughout the continues to be a gap in the provision city have been towards smaller units of housing for a range of household with little effect on overall affordability. types such as families. 4.5.3 Housing in the Port Lands Housing in the Port Lands will provide • Providing a healthy balance of for a diversity of choices in terms different types of housing, tenures of type, affordability, and tenure and affordability levels; and to support the vision for complete, inclusive communities where different • Fostering a high-quality living types of households and people of all environment for all people. ages and abilities can enjoy a good quality of life. While the overall policy direction is more specific, precinct planning will A tailored approach for the delivery continue to play an important role in of housing in the Port Lands is needed detailing expectations with respect to capitalize on the Port Lands to the provision of housing in new opportunities and challenges, reflect communities. The precise land use mix the aspirations of achieving complete, and resultant residential densities will inclusive communities and recognize be further advanced and detailed in the lessons learned elsewhere along precinct plans. As such, during precinct the waterfront. The approach for planning more detailed affordable housing in the Port Lands is based on housing strategies will continue to be achieving three objectives: developed that will identify potential sites and locations for affordable • Ensuring a diversity of unit sizes housing, the anticipated timing and to support a range of different phasing of development, funding household types and sizes; and financing approaches, and any additional tools that will be used for securing housing requirements.