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Simcoe County Housing Corporation Master Plan

2024-2034

The purpose of the Master Plan is to systematically plan where and what type of Simcoe County Housing Corporation (SCHC) development projects are to be built based on demand, needs, financial implications, and risk management. The Master Plan is a long-term capital infrastructure plan to guide, sustain, and expand the County’s affordable housing system, leveraging existing assets and new partnership opportunities to allow the SCHC to continue to contribute quality housing and enhance the county’s eligibility for potential provincial and federal funding and requirements.

The Master Plan includes background information about the diversification of community and affordable housing and the range of rental types. It identifies opportunities to increase affordable housing options, preserve the existing SCHC portfolio, and enhance community needs. Furthermore, the SCHC Affordable Housing Master Plan identifies a 10-year implementation and development framework to increase the SCHC housing portfolio and to guide SCHC development projects throughout the region.

cover page of Affordable Housing Development Master Plan 2024-2034 document

All proposed development projects evaluated in the development framework identified in the Master Plan for implementation are on property currently owned by the SCHC, County of Simcoe, submitted through the municipal CFP process, leased or donated through a proposed development partnership. The Master Plan is intended to be flexible to respond to changes in priorities, opportunities and available funding. Flexibility in the proposed Priority Development projects (Tables 1 & 2) sequence allows for adaptability and the ability to respond to development opportunities/barriers and funding offers that require rapid implementation.

In addition, the Master Plan identifies a range of housing-built forms and housing diversification, such as modular construction and bedroom types, as well as partnership opportunities with both private and not-for-profit developers.

Building on the work of the County’s Ten-Year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy (LTAHS) and in alignment with the County’s Long-term Financial Plan, the SCHC Master Plan is proceeding to a more strategic and long-term approach to affordable housing development. Funding partnerships with the Federal and Provincial Governments is essential to support the Master Plan implementation. Progress will be reported to Council on an annual basis and any changes in the proposed Priority Project sequencing will be brought back to Council through the annual budget process or on an ad hoc basis as required.


Vision

To enhance the Simcoe County Housing Corporation housing portfolio and augment its sustainability to meet the increasing needs of current and future tenants, with a focus on strategic community partnerships and streamlined implementation.

Purpose

The Simcoe County Housing Corporation (SCHC) Affordable Housing Master Plan is a long-term capital infrastructure plan to guide, expand and sustain the SCHC’s affordable housing portfolio through repair, new construction, supports and partnership opportunities. The Master Plan will prioritize the use of donated, leased and SCHC property and assets to increase the supply of affordable housing, maximize repair and accessibility investments, and minimize operational costs.

Building on the work of the 10-year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy, the focus of the Master Plan is on affordable housing, keeping in mind there is also the need for supportive housing in the SCHC’s housing portfolio. The demand for affordable housing has been established in the County’s 10-year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy. Additional needs have been identified through the analysis of SCHC housing inventory, application and centralized waiting list data. The Master Plan includes background information about the diversification of community and affordable housing and the range of rental types. It identifies opportunities to increase affordable housing, preserve the existing SCHC portfolio and enhance community needs. Furthermore, the SCHC Affordable Housing Master Plan clearly identifies a 10-year implementation and development plan to increase the SCHC housing portfolio and to guide SCHC development projects throughout the region.

map showing SCHC housing locations by type

Background

Between the 1940s and 1995, the construction of community housing units was generally funded by the federal and provincial governments. In 2001, the province transferred responsibility for the oversight and funding of social housing to the municipal level, setting up municipal “service manager” organizations. The County of Simcoe is designated as the Consolidated Municipal Services Manager (CMSM), also referenced as ‘Service Manager,’ for this region. It is responsible for the planning and delivery of community housing for low-to-moderate-income households. In addition, the County oversees the administration of numerous affordable housing programs and initiatives that provide housing assistance for seniors, families and individuals.

The County of Simcoe is the direct owner and manager of the Simcoe County Housing Corporation (SCHC), a local housing corporation regulated by the Housing Services Act, 2011. As of April 2024, the SCHC owns 1,249 rent-geared-to-income units, as well as 565 affordable housing units. In addition, the Urban Native Housing Program, which was part of a federal housing program specifically for Indigenous households and transferred to the SCHC, is comprised of 66 units. The SCHC housing portfolio totals 1,840 housing units, including 181 units currently under construction. (The inventory of SCHC housing units does not include the additional 2,294 social housing units or 544 affordable housing units owned and operated by community and private housing providers throughout the region created with federal-provincial funding.)

The SCHC operates and manages its housing portfolio and oversees tenant management and relations, as well as the overall maintenance of SCHC 33 apartment buildings, 43 town/row houses and approximately 260 scattered housing units throughout the County of Simcoe and in the cities of Barrie and Orillia. Community housing providers, such as the SCHC, are responsible for maintaining their housing assets and ensuring that their tenants live in affordable, adequate, and suitable housing.


Simcoe County Housing Corporation Portfolio

An understanding of the current SCHC housing portfolio such as age and type of the building and unit diversification, enables gaps and solutions to be identified that ensure existing inventory is preserved while also supporting the development goals and objectives of this Plan. A map of the SCHC housing portfolio illustrates the building type and geographic distribution. The numbers labelled on the map depict the number of buildings for each dwelling type.