Affordable & Rental Housing CIP

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Public engagement has concluded.

The Town of Cobourg is a community of approximately 19,440 people located on the north shore of Lake Ontario approximately half way between Toronto and Kingston. Cobourg is rich in history and heritage, featuring architectural splendor dating back to the 1800s. The Town has fostered the preservation of its cultural heritage past through the implementation of four (4) Heritage Conservation Districts, plus many individually designated properties. Cobourg also enjoys a bustling, pedestrian-friendly downtown and world-renowned lakefront park, beach and full-service marina.

With our proximity to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and attractive small town urban lifestyle, it is expected that the population in Cobourg will continue to grow at a steady rate, with recent projections indicating that the Town's population will increase to approximately 26,000 people by the year 2036.

Affordable Housing Strategy
In March of 2019, following a year-long research and consultation process, the County of Northumberland released its draft Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS). The Study assessed the current state of the local and regional housing market, identified housing needs and gaps, and developed action plans with key recommendations for the County and its member municipalities to be implemented over the short to medium term.

The AHS is the primary, over-arching document that is intended to provide Northumberland County and its member municipalities with the necessary background information and strategic direction to help implement affordable housing in the county. As an outcome from the County’s housing strategy, local municipalities were encouraged to explore and implement measures to incentivize the development of affordable and rental housing.

On December 2, 2019, the County of Northumberland presented the draft Cobourg Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS) to Cobourg Municipal Council. The Cobourg AHS builds on the recommended housing actions in the Northumberland AHS and identifies a number of strategic measures which are intended to address the housing needs and gaps in the Town of Cobourg. One of the recommended actions of the Northumberland and Cobourg AHS is to consider the use of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to allow for the provision of incentives to encourage the development of affordable and rental housing in the community.

Community Improvement Plan
A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) can provide a suite of incentive tools to assist with the creation of affordable units. The CIP Study will develop a comprehensive, yet flexible, plan to assist in the development and enhancement of affordable and rental housing in the community. It will establish a coordinated and strategic mechanism utilizing the most effective tools available through the Planning Act and will focus on Affordable housing, Accessibility and visibility, Urban design and sustainability, Brownfields, Social and cultural well-being and Implementation, governance, marketing and monitoring.

Goal
The primary goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive, yet flexible, pro-active plan to assist in the development and enhancement of affordable and rental housing in the community, thereby improving the quality of life and social well-being of its residents. In addition, this project may also assist the Town in advancing its objectives for community improvement by encouraging sustainable, accessible and economic development. The Affordable & Rental Housing CIP will build upon the goals of the Official Plan by establishing a co-ordinated and strategic mechanism utilizing the most effective tools available through existing legislation. View the Cobourg Affordable and Rental Housing CIP Project Launch Event/Open House presentation.

Where We Are Now - Affordable and Rental Housing CIP
The MHBC Project Team has been working with the Planning & Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) and municipal planning staff to finalize the process for the development of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for Affordable & Rental Housing in the Town of Cobourg.

  • We have completed the Background Information Collection and Analysis Phase (Phase 1), including convening initial public engagement forums and status updates to Council, and the preparation of a draft Background Report.
  • We have prepared a draft Community Improvement Plan (Phase 2) and are now seeking further public input in refining the CIP focus areas and programs through on-line engagement tools and a Public Meeting of Council (Phase 3).

The public engagement objective for the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP is to:

  • Gather feedback from citizens and stakeholders on the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP draft plan to be developed after the review process.
  • Gather feedback from citizens and stakeholders on the panels in the Forum below.

We're looking for your feedback:
To share your thoughts on the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP please contribute to the following public engagement opportunities below, including:

1. Watch the Virtual Presentation
2. Participate in the Forum

The Town of Cobourg is a community of approximately 19,440 people located on the north shore of Lake Ontario approximately half way between Toronto and Kingston. Cobourg is rich in history and heritage, featuring architectural splendor dating back to the 1800s. The Town has fostered the preservation of its cultural heritage past through the implementation of four (4) Heritage Conservation Districts, plus many individually designated properties. Cobourg also enjoys a bustling, pedestrian-friendly downtown and world-renowned lakefront park, beach and full-service marina.

With our proximity to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and attractive small town urban lifestyle, it is expected that the population in Cobourg will continue to grow at a steady rate, with recent projections indicating that the Town's population will increase to approximately 26,000 people by the year 2036.

Affordable Housing Strategy
In March of 2019, following a year-long research and consultation process, the County of Northumberland released its draft Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS). The Study assessed the current state of the local and regional housing market, identified housing needs and gaps, and developed action plans with key recommendations for the County and its member municipalities to be implemented over the short to medium term.

The AHS is the primary, over-arching document that is intended to provide Northumberland County and its member municipalities with the necessary background information and strategic direction to help implement affordable housing in the county. As an outcome from the County’s housing strategy, local municipalities were encouraged to explore and implement measures to incentivize the development of affordable and rental housing.

On December 2, 2019, the County of Northumberland presented the draft Cobourg Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS) to Cobourg Municipal Council. The Cobourg AHS builds on the recommended housing actions in the Northumberland AHS and identifies a number of strategic measures which are intended to address the housing needs and gaps in the Town of Cobourg. One of the recommended actions of the Northumberland and Cobourg AHS is to consider the use of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to allow for the provision of incentives to encourage the development of affordable and rental housing in the community.

Community Improvement Plan
A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) can provide a suite of incentive tools to assist with the creation of affordable units. The CIP Study will develop a comprehensive, yet flexible, plan to assist in the development and enhancement of affordable and rental housing in the community. It will establish a coordinated and strategic mechanism utilizing the most effective tools available through the Planning Act and will focus on Affordable housing, Accessibility and visibility, Urban design and sustainability, Brownfields, Social and cultural well-being and Implementation, governance, marketing and monitoring.

Goal
The primary goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive, yet flexible, pro-active plan to assist in the development and enhancement of affordable and rental housing in the community, thereby improving the quality of life and social well-being of its residents. In addition, this project may also assist the Town in advancing its objectives for community improvement by encouraging sustainable, accessible and economic development. The Affordable & Rental Housing CIP will build upon the goals of the Official Plan by establishing a co-ordinated and strategic mechanism utilizing the most effective tools available through existing legislation. View the Cobourg Affordable and Rental Housing CIP Project Launch Event/Open House presentation.

Where We Are Now - Affordable and Rental Housing CIP
The MHBC Project Team has been working with the Planning & Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) and municipal planning staff to finalize the process for the development of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for Affordable & Rental Housing in the Town of Cobourg.

  • We have completed the Background Information Collection and Analysis Phase (Phase 1), including convening initial public engagement forums and status updates to Council, and the preparation of a draft Background Report.
  • We have prepared a draft Community Improvement Plan (Phase 2) and are now seeking further public input in refining the CIP focus areas and programs through on-line engagement tools and a Public Meeting of Council (Phase 3).

The public engagement objective for the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP is to:

  • Gather feedback from citizens and stakeholders on the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP draft plan to be developed after the review process.
  • Gather feedback from citizens and stakeholders on the panels in the Forum below.

We're looking for your feedback:
To share your thoughts on the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP please contribute to the following public engagement opportunities below, including:

1. Watch the Virtual Presentation
2. Participate in the Forum

Public engagement has concluded.

  • Motion from Regular Council Meeting - Passed

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    At Cobourg Municipal Council's Regular Council Meeting held on Monday, November 23rd the following Motion regarding the Affordable and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan passed:

    Motion re: Affordable Housing and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan

  • Public Meeting of Council on September 28th, 2020

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    On Monday, September 28th, 2020, a Public Meeting of Council regarding the proposed Affordable & Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan took place inviting citizens and stakeholders to share feedback.

    We would like to thank all who attended our Public Meeting. Public feedback on the draft plan will be available through Engage Cobourg until Monday, October 5th, 2020.

    Did you miss the Public Meeting?
    You can watch the public meeting on our YouTube channel.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbQYX2F_H1k

  • Community Public Open House Well Attended

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    On Thursday, January 23rd the Public Open House for the Affordable & Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan took place inviting citizens and stakeholders to share feedback.

    We would like to thank all who attended our Public Open House for the Affordable and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan.

    Did you miss the Public Open House?
    Please take a look at the formal presentation and work book.

    You can also view the Council Presentation.


  • Citizens Invited to Open House for Town-Wide Affordable and Rental Housing CIP

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    (Issued January 7, 2020 at 3:45 p.m. EST) – The Town of Cobourg is undertaking the necessary steps to develop a town-wide Affordable and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP) and would like to invite citizens to an upcoming Public Open House on Thursday, January 23, 2020.

    The Affordable and Rental Housing CIP is being developed in response to the rising need for affordable and rental housing options within the Town of Cobourg, and will also help to execute the recently released Northumberland County Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS).

    A CIP is a strategic policy tool that can provide a suite of incentives to address locally specific needs and priorities in the community, including the promotion of affordable and rental housing, as well as sustainable, accessible and economic development.

    The study officially began in October of 2019 and is expected to take approximately eight months to complete. The work is in its early stages and the Town of Cobourg would like to invite the community to take part in this informal open house to learn more about the study and to provide a platform for open discussion.

    The Town of Cobourg has retained an experienced consulting team consisting of MHBC Planning and SHS Consulting to prepare the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP. MHBC Planning are experts in the fields of urban and strategic planning, policy development and stakeholder consultation. SHS Consulting are award winning leaders in housing analysis and policy development.

    Members of the community are invited to attend the Public Open House where the Town of Cobourg and its consulting team will provide a summary of the background review undertaken and the public engagement feedback received to date, and provide an opportunity for participants to inform the next phases of the study.

    Affordable and Rental Housing CIP Public Open House
    Date: Thursday, January 23, 2020. | Time: 6-8 p.m.
    Location: Victoria Hall, 55 King Street West, Cobourg | Room: Citizen’s Forum

    If citizens cannot attend the Public Open House in-person they are encouraged to visit the Town of Cobourg’s online public engagement site, Engage Cobourg (www.engagecobourg.ca) to provide feedback online through a variety of engagement tools including forums and a quick poll. Citizens can also subscribe for project updates to stay up-to-date and informed.

  • The Affordable and Rental Housing Launch Event Kicks Off!

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    We would like to thank all who attended our Affordable and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan launch event.

    Did you miss the launch event?
    Please take a look at the formal presentation and poster boards.

  • Press Release: Citizens Invited to Attend Affordable and Rental Housing CIP Launch Event

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    (Issued November 27, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. EST) – The Town of Cobourg is undertaking the necessary steps to develop a town-wide Affordable and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP) and would like to inform citizens that the study has been initiated and that additional details will be provided at a Project Launch Event being held on December 5th, 2019.

    The Affordable and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan is being developed in response to the rising need for affordable and rental housing options within the Town of Cobourg, and will also help to execute the recently released Northumberland County Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS).

    A CIP is a strategic policy tool that can provide a suite of incentives to address locally specific needs and priorities in the community, including the promotion of affordable and rental housing, as well as sustainable, accessible and economic development. The study officially began in October of 2019 and is expected to take approximately eight months to complete.

    The Consultant Team
    The Town of Cobourg has retained an experienced consulting team consisting of MHBC Planning and SHS Consulting to prepare the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP. MHBC Planning and SHS Consulting are experts in the fields of urban and strategic planning, policy development, housing strategy and stakeholder consultation.

    We’d Like to Hear from You - Project Launch Event
    You’re invited to attend the Project Launch Event where the Town and its consulting team will introduce the Affordable and Rental Housing CIP study. Take part in this informal launch event to learn more about the study and participate in open discussion.

    Date: Thursday, December 5, 2019.
    Time: 4-6 p.m. (formal presentation at 4:30 p.m.)
    Location: Victoria Hall, Citizen’s Forum, 2nd Floor, West Wing, 55 King Street West, Cobourg.

    This event is intended to engage stakeholders and citizens, present additional study details, and provide an opportunity for participants to inform the next phases of the study.