Affordable Housing Strategy

The City of Barrie is updating its Affordable Housing Strategy. Safe and affordable housing is an important issue to residents of Barrie, and more broadly across Canada. Housing is affordable when people can still pay for their basic needs after their housing expenses are paid. With underlying housing market and inflation rate changes, affordable rental housing and affordable ownership have become unattainable for many people.

The City welcomes participation in this process from everyone with an interest in the future of affordable housing. Activities and opportunities for public engagement will include small group dialogues, online surveys and public meeting sessions. We hope you will sign up for updates, check-in on the project and ask questions!

Background

The City of Barrie first released a 10-year Affordable Housing Strategy in 2015. An updated Affordable Housing Strategy will build plans for new opportunities for creating affordable housing as Barrie continues to grow. The strategy will be based on a solid understanding of Barrie’s housing market and the housing needs of residents seeking affordable and attainable housing.

Housing is a spectrum
Housing takes many forms along a continuum, from temporary emergency shelter to homeownership. Approximately two-thirds of Canadian households own their own home. The remaining third either rent market-rate or non-market units, or are experiencing homelessness. (source: Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance)

Source: Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance

Steps to update Barrie's Affordable Housing Strategy

The update to the Affordable Housing Strategy will be done in three phases:

1. Housing Needs Assessment
   The assessment helps determine the existing housing stock, gaps in housing types, and a needs estimation of housing supply. A Housing Needs Assessment is an important tool to determine the near- and long-term demand for housing and current gaps.
   
   The Housing Needs Assessment document was presented to Barrie City Council on June 7, 2023. Informed by data and in-depth research, this assessment allows the City to understand where the largest gaps exist as well as the magnitude and characteristics of homes needed across the continuum. It evaluates the strategies currently in place to address gaps at both the County of Simcoe and City level, identifies where additional strategies are needed and where existing programs are not meeting stated objectives, in addition to where efforts should be focused. The analysis illustrates why affordability is worsening and the specific leading factors contributing to the housing crisis in Barrie.
   
   Highlights of the Housing Needs Assessment:
   - there are very limited options in the market for moderate and low-income households for both ownership and rental
   - new rental housing development has been stagnant in recent decades
   - rental rates in Barrie have been rising rapidly, with many options exceeding $2,000 per month
   - the supply of ownership housing is not meeting demand, particularly for low and moderate-income
   households
   - lack of affordability in the ownership market is driving ‘would be’ purchasers to the rental market,
   increasing demand within an already constrained rental market
   - Barrie’s ownership housing stock has experienced significant growth over the last decade
   - the average pricing for all housing types far exceeds the affordability thresholds for moderate income households
   
   
2. Recommending policy options and looking at new tools
   With the completion of the Housing Needs Assessment, the City has the information needed to focus on developing policy recommendations to improve housing outcomes. The recommendations will focus on meeting affordable housing goals, including developing affordable housing targets, managing spending on affordable housing strategies, and implementing new strategies to encourage affordable housing. There will options relating to affordable housing spending, alternative affordable housing definitions, and options for targeted affordable housing initiatives. Recommendations will be given on plans and tools that will ensure affordable housing goals are accomplished. City staff will present policy options to Council in early fall 2023.
   
   
3. Updating the Existing Strategy
   The Council-endorsed policies and the housing needs assessment will be summarized as an update to form the updated Affordable Housing Strategy, and the final strategy will be presented to Council by the end of 2023, with implementation beginning in 2024.