Affordable Housing

Council through its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan identified affordable housing as a priority:

Priority: Optimizing Health, Housing & Social Well-Being through Service Access and Healthy Lifestyles.

Goal: Update Town’s development policy framework to attract an affordable housing mix and housing options

• Partner with Niagara Regional Housing – position Fort Erie as a preferred site for social housing investment
• Review policies that support housing affordability and a broader mix of housing options
• Partner with Niagara Region to support the Town’s affordable and social housing objectives

Working with the Town's Affordable Housing Committee to implement the initiatives identified through both the Town's Affordable Housing Strategy and Housing Needs Study, the Town is undertaking an Affordable Housing Official Plan Amendment and Community Improvement Plan.

Official Plan Amendment

An official plan amendment is a formal document that changes a municipality’s official plan.

Changes may be needed because of new circumstances in the community or because of requests made by property owners. The amendment is also an opportunity to ensure the official plan continues to address local priorities and changing community needs.

In the case of a statutory official plan amendment, a special meeting of Council must be held that is open to the public, as well as an open house information session and at least one public meeting.

The purpose of this Official Plan Amendment is to recommend specific policy changes that support and encourage a range of housing types and tenures in the Town, including provisions for shared housing, setting a maximum limit on the number of single detached dwellings in large scale developments, permitting accessory apartments on existing residential properties, and defining “small scale housing” which will create the opportunity for the development of units that are smaller than traditional units.

These policies will create more housing types within the Town and encourage more diverse neighborhoods.

Community Improvement Plan

A Community Improvement Plans or CIP is a tool that allows a municipality to direct funds and implement policy initiatives toward a specifically defined project area.

Community Improvement Plans are intended to encourage revitalization initiatives and/or stimulate development and redevelopment. Once implemented, the Plan allows municipalities to provide tax assistance, grants or loans to assist in the revitalization of lands and/or buildings within the defined Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA).

Through Community Improvement Plans, municipalities can:

• Focus public attention on local priorities and municipal initiatives
• Target areas in transition or in need of repair, rehabilitation and redevelopment
• Facilitate and encourage community change in a co-ordinated manner
• Stimulate private sector investment through municipal incentive-based programs

The Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan is being proposed to encourage investment in the Town, while maintaining affordability for residents. Investment in affordable housing has significant social benefits to the community.

Applicable to any zone that permits residential development and is located within the Urban Are a Boundary , this Plan includes the following programs:

• Affordable Housing Planning Fee Grant – 100% of the planning fees are rebated upon approval of the project (Zoning, Official Plan Amendments, Site Plan)
• Affordable Housing Tax Increment Grant Program – 100% of the tax increase is rebated back for a certain number of years.