Moncton gets affordable housing plan, but no quick fixes

Hours after two temporary homeless shelters closed in Moncton, city council voted unanimously to accept 57 recommendations to boost affordable housing over the coming decade.

But the plan, developed by SHS Consulting over more than a year, offers no quick solutions for those who are homeless. 

"I can't pretend to say that this plan is going to solve this immediate problem," said Johanna Hashim of SHS Consulting.

The housing plan calls for a range of actions - most requiring further study - by the municipality, province and other groups starting this year. 

It does not provide cost estimates, amounts city staff say will be refined as ideas are considered in more detail. 

"We've been working on this for a while so it is a big step and the really hard work begins tomorrow," said Vincent Merola, Moncton's community development officer for social inclusion.

Recommendations will be considered by working groups that could then bring policy or bylaw changes to council for approval, Merola said.

The report's recommendations include creating a housing authority, better data collection and tracking of people who are homeless and their needs, increased support services for those who are chronically homeless and changes to city land-use rules to stimulate affordable housing construction.

The intent is to cut the number of chronically homeless by half, increase the types of housing options, reduce the number of rooming houses in need of major repairs, increase rent supplement availability and add supportive and accessible housing.

City staff said they're already starting to work on ways to implement the plan, though the city is awaiting a provincial affordable housing plan that will lay out how millions in federal housing money will be spent.

"Our hope is that we're in alignment with them on what their strategy is," said Mayor Dawn Arnold. 

The province has said the release of its plan has been held up as it awaits approval from the federal government.

Hashim said aspects of the plan could be at risk if there's a change of government in Fredericton or Ottawa that results in a different direction on housing.

Earlier study outlined need

The findings of a 2017 report by Ontario-based SHS Consulting on the housing situation in Moncton and Dieppe were used to develop the recommendations.

That report found there were 5,370 families in 2016 with a household income of $26,131 or less. 

To afford an average rent of $758 per month, a household would need an annual income of more than $30,000. 

Almost half of housing is single, detached homes which aren't considered ideal for smaller households, seniors or people with disabilities.  

Third shelter

While not specifically mentioned in the plan, staff told council the city needs a third permanent homeless shelter. 

Catherine Dallaire, Moncton's general manager of recreation, culture and events, said it's not clear how soon such a shelter could open, but hopes it will be within a year. 

The city's two main shelters are boosting capacity with provincial funding after two separate emergency shelters closed Monday. 

Charles Burrell, the founder of the Humanity Project which ran one of the temporary shelters, panned the report. 

"We know we need affordable housing, we know we need addictions services, we know we need more mental health, but yet there's no plan of action to actually start this and get it going," Burrell told reporters.

He added he was pleased councillors are committed to deal with the issue.

Other recommendations

The report calls for exploring a "rent bank" to provide one-time, no-interest loans for people at risk of homelessness to stay housed, more regulation and monitoring of rooming houses, and exploring grants to assist regulated rooming houses.

It suggests looking exempting private landlords, including rooming house landlords, from provincial property taxes that have rent supplement agreements with the province.

It calls for the city to review barriers to the development of housing such as secondary suites, coach houses and laneway houses, shared housing and supportive housing.

It also recommends potentially increasing height and density limits along major roads and transit routes.

The city, province and federal governments should also look at making its surplus land or buildings available for redevelopment as affordable housing, the report recommends.

An "affordable housing fund" in partnership with various other partners could help with the creation, maintenance, and renovation of affordable housing units in the city.