FRPO Outlines Seven Key Actions Government Can Take Right Now to Improve Access to Affordable Housing

TORONTO, June 29, 2015 /CNW/ - The Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) today called on the government to work in partnership with the rental housing industry and take immediate steps to remove current barriers to stimulating investment in affordable housing with a list of no-cost, low-cost policy solutions designed to get Ontario building again.

"The government has the tools it needs, right now, to help deliver more affordable rental housing in Ontario," said Scott Andison, President and CEO, FRPO. "When governments stimulate private investment with stable, affordable housing policies, builders can build and operate more affordable housing, and tenants can rent affordable homes. We call upon government to move beyond trying to do more with less as they have in the past, and engage with us to do new with less so together we can achieve better outcomes for Ontario's tenants."

On April 14, the Ontario government launched consultations to support a renewed Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy. During the consultation with Ontario's Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, FRPO provided the government with evidence-based research and best practices in a comprehensive policy paper, "Removing Barriers to Private Sector Construction of New Rental Housing Supply" (http://www.frpo.org/frpo-advocacy/reports-and-submissions).

"Access to affordable housing for Ontarians and their families is now at an unprecedented level of crisis," said Sharad Kerur, Executive Director, Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA). "Changes to current government policies that make rental housing more affordable for all Ontarians is a shared goal of both ONPHA and FRPO members."

Government actions recommended by FRPO include:

• Introducing Affordable Rental Housing Agreements to create up to 90,000 new homes;
• Reducing costly development charges on new construction of multi-family apartment buildings;
• Preserving the 1991 rent-increase exemption to stimulate private sector investment in Ontario's aging rental stock;
• Improving transparency of Section 37 agreements during the approvals stage for new purpose-built residential construction;
• Making changes to municipal property tax policies for multi-residential properties;
• Eliminating expensive municipal licensing schemes of rental housing units; and
• Making rental housing more affordable for low-income Ontarians through a portable housing allowance initiative.

ABOUT FRPO

The Federation of Rental Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) is the province's leading advocate for quality rental housing. FRPO represents over 2,200 rental housing providers who supply and manage homes for over 350,000 tenant households across Ontario.

SOURCE Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario

Scott Andison, President and CEO, Phone: [phone] x20, Email: [email protected]; Mike Chopowick, Vice President, Government & Industry Relations, Phone: [phone] x21, Email: [email protected]