Thread by @envirodefence

1. @fordnation invited Mayors & Regional Chairs to a meeting called an "Affordable Housing Summit" – Here are the facts & measures the province & municipalities MUST embrace to create affordable homes, rather than unaffordable sprawl #onpoli environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl… #onpol

2. The supply of developable “greenfield” land isn’t a factor behind the housing supply crunch. The regions of Ontario where population is growing & will grow in the future already have a massive surplus of “designated greenfield area” #onpoli
More here: environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…

3. The real root of the supply crunch is policy that obstructs the rapid construction of more homes in existing neighbourhoods that could easily become be walkable & transit-rich. 2/3 in the GTA would choose these neighborhoods if they could afford them environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…

4. To break the log jam, Ontario must sweep away exclusionary zoning that limits large areas of its towns & cities to single detached houses – and which even makes it hard to add semis or narrow singles #onpoli environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…

5. Governments must discourage “McMansion” redevelopment that diverts land away from ADDING homes. Max heights, floor space & setbacks for detached homes should be much more restrictive than those for a multiplex or pair of semis, on the same lot #onpoli environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…

6. Ontario must maximize the number of new homes that are constructed on each acre of “greenfield” land that has already been sacrificed to settlement areas by imposing minimum densities of 100 ppl + jobs per hectare for existing designated greenfield areas #onpoli

7. Governments must minimize the amount of parking included in greenfield development (& infill) & require frequent public transit & pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, with shops and schools so that most residents can avoid the cost of cars #onpoli environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…

8. Housing affordability will require MUCH more than an increased overall market supply of homes. In addition to “getting out of the way” of denser, more affordable housing, government will need to spend and intervene proactively #onpoli environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…

9. Government must get back in the business of building and operating “social housing” in existing built-up areas. Social housing’s share of new builds must return to 1982 levels, which will take significant public investment #onpoli environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…

10. Official Plans must be overhauled to generate a mix of housing types, tenures, and prices that makes room for every income level in every neighborhood – rather than just at the regional scale #onpoli environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…

11. Governments must significantly reduce land cost for non-profit affordable & deeply affordable housing providers by giving their projects MUCH higher as-of-right densities & other permissions than market developers would have on the same lots #onpoli environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/upl…