This week at Planning and Housing Committee we approved an approach to investing $31.8 million over the next two years in social housing funding from the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI).
Funds from this program come from provincial and federal governments and more than $28 million in COCHI funding would be invested in repairs and retrofits of social housing in the city. These repairs and retrofits are very important because we need repairs to units so we don’t lose them from the affordable housing stock. Much of the affordable housing stock in Ottawa is older now, and in need of repair and retrofitting. It is positive to see the funding go toward these avenues, while other funding is being used to build new housing stock.
From City of Ottawa News Update:
On May 17, 2023, the City’s Planning and Housing Committee approved an approach to investing $31.8 million over the next two years in social housing funding from the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI).
COCHI is a provincial and federal program that seeks to keep community housing affordable, renew or repair existing social housing, and expand the community housing supply. The Province has allocated nearly $15.3 million for Ottawa in 2023-24 funding, and just over $16.5 million in 2024-25 funding, to address community housing priorities.
More than $28 million in COCHI funding would be invested to repair and retrofit existing social housing in Ottawa. Another $2 million would help social housing providers with activities that support their long-term sustainability, such as asset management planning and business operations analysis. Program administration costs would account for the remaining $1.6 million.
The Committee approved several zoning amendments to facilitate smaller infill projects. A development of 24 townhomes on White Street, with access planned from Renaud Road, would be zoned Residential Third Density, with stacked dwellings listed as an additional permitted use. In the Pineview community, four long semi-detached buildings would add 16 dwelling units on Meadowbrook Road after the zoning is changed from Residential First to Residential Second Density to permit buildings with two principal units. In Old Ottawa East, a three-storey building with five residential units above a ground floor restaurant on Main Street required some relief from the existing Traditional Mainstreet zoning to reduce the rear yard setback and permit the residential entrance to be located away from Main Street.
Recommendations from today’s meeting will rise to Council on Wednesday, May 24.
