Thread by @hownowinternet

At City Hall, following the Council debate on Housing Now. A thread:

Mayor @JohnTory is trying to suggest that adding any further restrictions on Housing Now (i.e. nonprofit involvement, rent control, deep affordability) will hurt our chances of getting good dvlp. Asks about "the market" #topoli

Tory is trying to tease out that we 'could' still get proposals that offer the things other Clrs & public want to see, & that Council could pick those applications. The current Housing Now plan is just a way to keep the process open #TOpoli

.@McKelvieWard25 asks how the City will weigh out "value added" features in applications (cites youth employment & accessible units). Staff says there will be a point system #TOpoli

Wow. @gordperks just gets City Staff to admit that since home ownership is included, up to 1/3 of land would be considered for sale. Also points out, again, that bidding process doesn't require public retention of land. #topoli

Staff says that the Housing Now would have to be amended to require nonprofit involvement #TOpoli

.@kristynwongtam adds to Perks question: "how likely is it that nonprofit will be able to compete w the well-financed private condo sector?" #TOpoli

City Staff admits that Housing Now operates within the current TO structure, based on decisions that have been made in the past. Cites @CityofVancouver which has a $1.2B affordable housing fund #TOpoli

Clr @anabailaoTO is asking if Housing Now is built to ensure delivery, even if ON & Fed Gov'ts don't step up w support. Sean Gaddon says yes #topoli

Now she's asking if there have been instances where the City has recieved more than the minimum standards gov't has set. Sean says he's reluctant to answer, since we're charting new territorial #topoli

Clr @JoshMatlow asking about the biz case for not mandating 99 year leases. "Why wouldn't we do that?" Sean says no funding for building housing & Council is asking to expedite. "Housing Now is a strategy to leverage the market to deliver affordable housing City wants" #topoli

Aaaaand we're talking about parking again.

Mayor @JohnTory says he trusts the City's professionals. Wants to indicate that he will be voting against many motions he expects to see. Doesn't want to ruin a good opportunity #TOpoli

Says this is like a Christmas tree "if you put too many ornaments on the tree, it will fall over" Talks about spoiling the RFP process. Keep it open, @JohnTory says #TOpoli

Questions are over...now speakers:

Clr @gordperks points out that @JohnTory is just fine directing Staff to follow a long list of requirements in Housing Now, but only "hopes they'll consider" the essentials list that includes deeply affordable units, public ownership, nonprofit involvement, etc #TOpoli

Clr @joe_cressy thanks staff, along w the mayor & deputy mayor, for work on Housing Now. But he is worried that it's not enough. We need to address homelessness & those dealing with housing precarity #TOpoli

He says the he hopes housing for everyone will be the calling card for all Clrs during this term #TOpoli

Clr @joe_cressy puts motion to add requirement that 4 sites go to nonprofits #TOpoli

Clr @m_layton puts three motions forward that target ## of affordable units & deeper level of affordability #TOpoli

He goes on to say that Council needs to be bold & taking action. He points out that some of the sites have neighbourhood data that defines market as lower than 80% of CMHC values #TOpoli

Thanks to @cathyacrowe for the picture. Here is Clr Layton's motion: