The National Indigenous Affordable Housing Corporation’s “City Affordability Plan” directs Cities to plan for more affordable housing types directed at low to middle-income families within existing single-family neighborhoods and new neighborhood centers.
One of the City Affordability Plans next steps is to work collaboratively with Federal, Provincial and Local Governments in creating the Planning Process and Framework to initiate CAP Housing Demonstration Projects. These projects will provide more affordable and flexible ownership structures to First Nations, Inuit, Metis, and other Minorities.
The innovative designs will introduce new forms of housing that also offer single-family living features but at slightly higher densities in order to truly maximize affordability. Unlocking restrictive zoning requirements is a necessity to bring back the “individuals that are missing from the missing middle.”
Working closely with municipalities, local planning departments, and the public through meaningful planning changes and neighborhood public consultation will be pivotal in the roll out of the CAP Housing Demonstration Projects. As each City’s planning processes are unique careful consideration has to be given to the CAP plan implementation.
Every City has unique supply, demand, and pricing metrics that need to be considered coupled with changing economic, environmental, and lower to middle-income family needs. Both micro and macro factors are important as well as the character and location of each neighborhood that needs to be respected when consideration is given to Housing Demonstration Projects.
It is important to build both City and neighborhood consensus for these CAP projects through the City Planning Process and comprehensive Neighborhood consultation.
1. Local Communities, Local Municipal Staff, and Local Home Builders must identify a need for more affordable housing options within their community to support low to moderate-income families with new homeownership.
2. The CAP Housing Demonstration Project provides a new housing type in a community that demonstrates improved affordability and has a degree of local planning and community support.
1. Will a project provide housing options directly targeted at low- and moderate-income households?
2. Will a project increase the range of affordable housing options and meet the unique housing needs in the community?
3. Will a project endeavor to prevent the displacement of local residents?
4. Will a project meet or exceed the current energy and building performance standards?
5. Will a project be aesthetically well-designed and have a degree of local community support?