long term housing strategy - Bruce County

The County of Bruce has for many years been an innovative leader inidentifying needs and developing policy and strategy to address the longterm housing needs of our citizens. The supply of a complete range ofhousing options is essential to a healthy and prosperous community andthe 2010-2020 Bruce County Long Term Housing Strategy is the next stepin addressing the current and future housing needs of the county.This strategy has been developed with the assistance and hard work ofseveral people. Firstly I would like to thank the many people from thecommunity who took the time to participate and offer their valuableexperience and advice, and each brought a unique perspective to theround table sessions.Secondly the many County and Local Staff who have worked tirelesslyto develop and complete this document deserve a genuine thank you.You are the people that deal daily with the issues directly related to thehousing needs of Bruce County and we hope this document will providesupport and direction.And finally thanks to our consultants for leading us through this process.I believe Bruce County now has an ambitious workable and achievablestrategy that will serve the people of the county well in the coming years.Thanks to all for some great work and dedication.Mike SmithWardenBruce County

INTRODUCTION TO THELONG TERMHOUSINGSTRATEGYHousing is a basic human need and it is critical that there arehousing choices for all Bruce County residents. Affordableand supportive housing are important components of healthy,inclusive and prosperous communities.The County of Bruce has actively participated in a number ofinitiatives in recent years to help address local housing needsincluding:• Development of 63 new rental and 70 ownership housingunits that are affordable;• Completion of capital repairs within all existing socialhousing stock; and,• Completion of a comprehensive housing study in 2005 andsupplementary study in 2008.While initiatives like these have been helpful in starting toaddress certain key issues, there are housing needs in ourcommunity that remain unmet. The Bruce County Long TermHousing Strategy aims to create a strategic community-focusedapproach to meeting housing needs over the next 10 years bybuilding on our past successes.Map of Bruce CountyLakeshorePeninsulaInlandNorthern BrucePeninsulaFIRST NATIONsSaugeenCapeCrokerSouth BrucePeninsulaTo do this, the strategy must recognize the unique regionswithin Bruce County and the distinct characteristics they have:• Lakeshore – The most populace of the regions with thegreatest urbanization and highest growth.• Peninsula – With a stronger tourism focus, this region hasa highly seasonal population.• Inland – A more moderate growth area that has strongagricultural roots.• First Nations - These areas are self-governed.To access previous studies on housing in Bruce County, visit:http://www.brucecounty.on.ca/affordablehousing.phpKincardineSaugeenShoresHuron-KinlossArran-ElderslieBrocktonSouth BruceLong Term Housing Strategy2

HOUSING ISSUESIN BRUCE COUNTYThere are a number of inter-related trends that arecurrently influencing the housing market in BruceCounty. The growing population of seniors and localemployment trends continue to affect the demandfor housing. At the same time, the concentrationand limited diversity of the housing stock and themaintenance requirements of aging dwellings arefactors influencing supply. Major concerns alsopersist regarding the lack of affordable housing andlimited support services in Bruce County.THE SENIORS POPULATION CONTINUES TOGROW FASTER THAN OTHER GROUPSThe population in Bruce County is aging and thereis an influx of retirees moving into the area. Seniorshave specific affordability, accessibility and supportneeds that are not adequately addressed in thecurrent housing stock.EMPLOYMENT TRENDS ARE INFLUENCINGDEMAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSINGCyclical activity at Bruce Power exerts pressure onthe local housing market. In addition, growth ofemployment in the service and tourism sectors,especially part-time employment, creates increasingdemand for stable, affordable housing.AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORT SERVICES ANDSUPPLY OF SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING IS NOTADEQUATE TO ADDRESS LOCAL NEEDSNeed for emergency, transitional and supportivehousing is increasing, but there is a limited supply.Support services for both existing social housingtenants and new units are lacking.Defining Special Needs HousingHousing designed for or used by people who havespecific needs which are addressed through eitherphysical accommodations or support services.NEW HOUSING STOCK ISCONCENTRATED AND NOT DIVERSIFIEDDespite the diverse population and housing needs inBruce County, single detached homes continue to bethe primary housing form produced. New housingstock is concentrated in growth areas, creatingpressure for serviced lots in the Lakeshore region.Average Single Detached Resale Pricesby Area, 2004-2010Average Resale Price$300,000$250,000$200,000$150,000$100,000$50,000$-2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010YearSource: Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound, MLSStatistics Report (2009,2010) and composite calculations.LakeshorePennisulaInland3 Bruce County

WHY AFFORDABLEHOUSING?Having a full range of housing options to meetthe needs of all residents is a key contributor tomaintaining a high quality of life, a vibrant localeconomy, and a healthy community. Housing needsin Bruce County vary widely and are not alwaysmet in the traditional private market, especially forindividuals of low or modest incomes or personswith special housing needs. These individualsrepresent the very essence of our community: ourchildren, neighbors, parents, and grandparents, allwho experience different circumstances at variousstages in their life. A range of housing optionsis needed to accommodate the diversity of theseneeds and capabilities, from individuals experiencinghomelessness to those of modest incomes requiringhousing at slightly lower cost than the market.The Housing Continuum IN BRUCE COUNTYJake has a full-time retail job in SaugeenShores. He is finding it tough to find a onebedroom apartment for less than $600 intown and he can’t afford a car to commute infrom the more affordable community of Tara.Sherri is a single mother of one with MultipleSclerosis. The Ontario Disabilities Support Programprovides her a shelter allowance of $730 month tocover her rent and utilities. She is looking for a placewithin her budget that provides her with supportservices to live independently.Dina, has a total income of $1,000 per monthfrom Old Age Security Pension and her GuaranteedIncome Supplement. She needs to finda place for under $350 month with some supportsto help manage her worsening arthritis.Jennifer and her husband Rob bring in$40,000 a year working at a local farm.They know it makes more sense toown their own home, but they don’thave the money for a down payment.Income$0 $12,000 $24,000 $36,000 $48,000Percentageof HOUSE-HOLDS3% 11%10% 11%64%What TheyCan AffordMonthly RentPurchase PriceUnder $300 $300 - $600 $600 - $900 $900 - $1,200 $1,200+Under $45,000 $45,000 - $88,000 $88,000 - $132,000 $132,000 - $176,000 $176,000+5Bruce County

A COMMUNITY VISIONOn June 22nd, 2010, stakeholders from throughout Bruce County gathered to collectively set a direction forhousing in Bruce County. The community vision statement that resulted from this conversation is below.Working toward this community vision calls for bold leadership from Bruce County and partners from acrosssectors to create:“Appropriate, affordable, diverseand supportive housing choicesfor all Bruce County residents .”GUIDING PRINCIPLESThe community has identified six key principles to support the vision and guide Bruce County’s long termhousing strategy. They are to:1. Build from local strengths by maximizing use of the existing housing stock and community resources.2. Capitalize on and promote the far reaching benefits of affordable housing, including economicprosperity, healthy people, quality of life and inclusive communities.3. Create sustainable communities that make efficient use of resources .4. Leverage available programs and partnership opportunities with community stakeholders.5. Collaborate with community partners to ensure required support services are in place for current andfuture residents.6. Foster innovation and creativity in the provision of affordable housing and housing for those with specialneeds.Long Term Housing Strategy6

STRATEGIC ACTIONSBased on community feedback, a series of strategicdirections and actions have been established which respondto the current housing issues facing Bruce County. Whilethe County has a clear role in helping to achieve outcomes,healthy housing systems rely on the efforts of all partnersto help advance solutions. Certain issues require priorityresponses while others are less urgent . Those actionsrequiring immediate attention (within the first 3 years) areidentified as priorities while the balance of the actions areplanned for the remaining planning period.1.Educate PARTNERSPRIORITYAn education campaign is needed to engage partners,especially the community, local governments, and theprivate sector, and to “put a face” to affordable andsupportive housing. This campaign will address NIMBY(Not In My Backyard) attitudes by emphasizing thebenefits of affordable housing and the next steps thecommunity must take to realize its vision of housingchoices for all.Actions1. Distribute and promote the Long TermHousing Strategy among local municipalities,private sector, and other key communitypartners.2.PRIORITYCultivate STRONG partnershipsStrong community partnerships are essential tocollectively work toward the development of affordableand special needs housing while meeting affordablehousing targets for 2010 to 2020 (see page 9).Actions5. Establish regular and ongoing dialogueamong community housing partners,including both the private and not-for-profitsectors.PRIORITYPRIORITY2. Broaden community support andunderstanding of the Strategy using adiverse range of media, including socialnetworking.3. Establish a YIMBY (Yes, In My Backyard) teamto champion a broader public educationcampaign and support affordable housinginitiatives.4. Celebrate successful efforts that worktoward the goals of this strategy throughCounty-wide “awards of excellence”.6. Determine a common developmentresource contact that groups interested inaffordable housing can be referred to.7. Promote opportunities by developing aroad map of established practices, fundingoptions and incentives.8. Encourage take-up of funding opportunitiesby leveraging government programs as wellas local financial and in-kind support.7Bruce County

HOUSING TARGETS2010 - 2020Affordable Housing Targets,2010-202085 UnitsTo support our vision of “appropriate, affordable, diverseand supportive housing choices for all Bruce Countyresidents”, we have adopted housing targets for newhousing supply:Unit Type: 70% low density, 30% medium and highdensityTenure: 70% ownership housing, 30% rental housingAffordability: 30% of all new supply meet theCounty definition of affordableHousingLakeshorePeninsulaInlandFIRST NATIONs335 Units25 UnitsOur goal as a community is tocreate 445 affordable housingunits in the next ten years (2010 to2020).This goal will be achieved by creating a greater supplyof new affordable ownership, rental, and special needshousing units and by using rent supplements. Workingwith partners in the private, non-profit and governmentsectors will be critical to the success of the Strategy.This success will also rely on implementing the strategicdirections and priority actions that have been identified inthis document.Defining Affordable HousingThe broadly accepted approach to defining affordablehousing is housing where a household is notspending more than 30 percent of its income onhousing costs. In Bruce County, similar to manycommunities across the province, affordable housingis available to most residents; however, for some,affordable housing is out of reach. The affordablehousing prices for 2010 are rents below $725 andownership costs below $210,000.9 Bruce County

PARTNERSRealizing our community vision of housing choicesfor all requires collective action. While Bruce Countyhas a leadership role to play, community partnersfrom across sectors must work together, each with aunique contribution, to reach the affordable housingtargets for 2010 to 2020. Continued success in thedevelopment of affordable housing will depend onthe cultivation of strong, lasting partnerships that findinnovative solutions using the community’s assets.Roles: Land UseRegulator,ContributorRoles: Landlords,Tenants,Contributors,Supporters,VolunteersCommunityLocalMunicipalitiesBruce CountyFederalGovernmentRoles: ProgramFunder,Contributor,LanduseRegulator,Social HousingAdministrator,Housing ProviderRoles: Regulator,Program Funder,FinancierRoles: Builders,Developers,Contractors,Landlords,PropertyManagers,Financiers,Technical Services,InsurersPrivate SectorNon-ProfitSectorProvincialGovernmentRoles: Landlords,PropertyManagers,Service Providers,HousingDevelopersRoles:Information andResearch,Program Funder,Mortgage IssuerMONITORINGTo ensure accountability to the community, Bruce County will publish an Annual Housing Report Card eachyear to monitor community progress on the actions outlined in this Strategy as well as the following indicators:• Number of affordable units created• Number of supportive housing units created• Number of people housed from waiting list• Financial and in kind investment by partnersNumber of affordableunits createdNumber of supportivehousing units createdNumber of people housedfrom waiting listFinancial and in kindinvestment by partnersABB-A+Long Term Housing Strategy10

Bruce County Housing Corporation Affordable Housing Project, 2010For more information on Bruce County’s Long TermHousing Strategy or to find out how you can supportthe housing vision in your community, visit:www.brucecounty.on.caOr contact:Susan EarleManager of Housing ServicesCounty of BrucePhone: 519-396-3450 X 106Fax: 519-396-3499Email: searle@brucecounty.on.caLong Term Housing Strategy Steering CommitteeMembers:Susan Earle (Chair), Mitch Twolan, Terry Sanderson,Chris LaForest, Tony Ban, Christine MacDonald, LeahAndrews Barrie, Jay Pausner, Pat Shewfelt, DavidSmith and Libby Ipsen.Strategy Prepared By:r e f a c tc o n s u l t i n g