Property owners and developers in North Bay will be getting some help to create new housing units.
Council has given the green light to a housing action plan.
Some of the nine initiatives include providing top-up funding through the city’s Growth Community Improvement Plan for missing middle and affordable housing, allowing additional dwelling units, developing a conceptual plan for over 10 hectares of city-owned land for residential development, and more.
“I think it will incentivize folks to create additional residential units,” says Councillor Justine Mallah, Chair of Community Services. “I think right now we are having a housing crisis. People are looking for places to rent that are affordable. People are looking at more homes to purchase that are affordable as well.”
She says the city is working with the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board on the plan, which has other benefits like e-permitting for building permit and planning applications.
“The action plan increases efficiencies by making some of those approvals online,” says Mallah.
City staff will also be applying to the $4 billion federal Housing Accelerator Fund.
Successful applicants can spend the money in a number of ways, including investments in affordable housing, housing-related infrastructure and community-related infrastructure.
Some examples are water-related projects, public transit, roads, bridges and more.
