Simcoe County's Plan to Boost Housing Supply for Middle-Income Families: From Rental to Ownership

In a recent presentation to the Simcoe County Council, Josh MacLeod, an Associate at N. Barry Lyons Consultants (NBLC), unveiled a strategic action plan aimed at tackling the growing housing crisis in the region. This Housing Attainable Supply Action Plan (ASAP) outlines a series of targeted actions designed to increase the supply of attainable housing for moderate-income households, providing a blueprint for addressing one of the most pressing issues facing Simcoe County today.

Understanding Attainable Housing

He said Housing ASAP is grounded in the need to create housing solutions that serve moderate-income households—those earning between 80% and 120% of the median area income. In Simcoe County, this translates to households with annual incomes ranging from $50,000 to $120,000. 

The Housing Crisis: Key Findings

MacLeod said over the past decade, housing prices in Simcoe County have surged by 172% to 219%, while household incomes have only increased by 37%, creating a severe affordability crisis. This rapid price growth, coupled with a stagnant supply of new rental housing, has led to rental rates soaring above $2,000 per month, further burdening moderate-income households. 

Strategic Recommendations

NBLC has outlined a comprehensive set of strategies organized into five broad categories: Development Navigator Program, Coordination Initiatives, Innovation Initiatives, Financial Initiatives, and Advocacy Initiatives. These strategies are designed to create a supportive environment for developing attainable housing and to leverage available resources effectively.

Development Navigator Program: This program will expedite affordable housing projects by fast-tracking approvals, managing incentives, and fostering partnerships, ensuring quick delivery of new housing units.

Coordination Initiatives: Key initiatives include creating a public land program to identify and utilize publicly owned land, updating planning frameworks to support higher density, and simplifying the development approval process.

Innovation Initiatives: Emphasizing innovative solutions, this includes developing pre-approved building designs, partnering with educational institutions for new construction methods, and ensuring robust data collection.

Financial Initiatives: Recommendations include enhancing the secondary suite program, reducing property taxes for rental housing, and seeking flexibility in Community Improvement Plans (CIPs).

Advocacy Initiatives: The plan advocates for more direct funding, streamlined financing access, and new revenue tools to support attainable housing development.

Prioritization and Impact

Out of the proposed actions, Housing ASAP identifies four core items that should be prioritized to maximize impact:
Development Navigator Program: To streamline and support priority housing projects.
Public Land Program: To leverage public land for housing development.
Planning Framework Updates: To create a more supportive environment for new housing projects.
Development Process Simplification: To remove bureaucratic hurdles and accelerate housing development.

Conclusion

The Housing Attainable Supply Action Plan presented by NBLC aims to address immediate needs and lays the foundation for long-term housing stability and affordability, ensuring that Simcoe County remains a vibrant and inclusive community for all its residents.