5. ACTION OTTAWA 2007 – Beaver bARRACKS

Action Ottawa 2007 – cASERNE beaver

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONs

That Council, in accordance with the provisions of the Action Ottawa program, approve that:

1. The proposal by Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) be recommended to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for funding under the terms of the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program (AHP);

2. That up to $7.0 million from the AHP funds allocated to the City of Ottawa; $3.0 million City capital funds; an estimated $242,287 for grants in lieu of building permit fees; an estimated $1.2 million in relief from development fees and planning fees be awarded sufficient to fund the project described in Schedule A, subject to any conditions made by the Selection committee and subject to Council enacting a Municipal Housing Project Facilities By-law for this project.

3. That up to $300,000 be provided from the Social Housing Reserve for the environmental clean-up cost of the 424 Metcalfe site.

4. Staff be directed to negotiate Municipal Housing Project Facilities Agreements with the selected proponents subject to the terms and conditions of the February 20, 2007 Action Ottawa RFP, the Selection Committee recommendations of June 4-5, 2007, the provisions of the Municipal Housing Project Facilities By-law (2005), and the limits of the City municipal capital facility contributions.

5. Upon successful negotiation of project facilities agreements with the proponent, authorize the Director of Legal Services to proceed directly to Council to authorize the project specific Municipal Housing Project Facilities by-laws by way of placing the by-laws on the Order of the Day for enactment, within the limits set by negotiated agreements, the recommendations in this report, and the Municipal Housing Project Facilities By-law (2005).

6. Upon passing project specific by-laws, delegate authority to the City Manager to execute the project specific Municipal Housing Project Facilities agreements.

7. Staff be directed to negotiate the sale of the property located at 424 Metcalfe, subject to the provision of the right to first refusal to recover the property in the event of sale, and subject to the provisions of the negotiated Municipal Housing Project Facilities agreement and in accordance with the Municipal Housing Project Facilities By-law (2005) and provisions of this report.

Recommandations du comité

Que le Conseil municipal, conformément aux dispositions du programme Action Ottawa :

1. approuve la proposition de financement recommandée par le Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) au ministre des Affaires municipales et du Logement en vertu des dispositions du Programme Canada-Ontario de logement abordable (PLA);

2. alloue jusqu’à 7,0 millions de dollars des fonds du PLA à la Ville d’Ottawa; c’est‑à-dire accorder 3,0 millions de dollars des fonds pour dépenses en capital de la Ville, un montant estimé à 242 287 $ de subventions tenant lieu de frais de permis de construction et un montant estimé à 1,2 million de dollars de redressement spécial provenant des frais d’aménagement et des frais d’urbanisme, de quoi financer le projet décrit à l’annexe A, selon les conditions posées par le Comité de sélection et à la condition que le Conseil municipal rédige un règlement municipal régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement.

3. accorde jusqu’à 300 000 $ de la réserve de logement municipal pour couvrir les coûts de dépollution environnementale du 424, rue Metcalfe.

4. demande au personnel de négocier des ententes sur les installations du projet avec les proposants retenus en fonction des modalités de la DP d’Action Ottawa du 20 février 2007, selon les recommandations du Comité de sélection des 4 et 5 juin 2007, selon les dispositions du projet de règlement municipal régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement (2005) et en respect des limites des contributions d’immobilisation municipale de la Ville.

5. au moment de la conclusion des négociations des ententes sur les installations du projet avec les proposants, autorise le directeur des Services juridiques à s’adresser directement au Conseil municipal afin d’autoriser les règlements municipaux régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement en inscrivant les règlements à l’ordre du jour en vue de leur adoption dans le respect des limites établies par les ententes négociées, les recommandations du présent rapport et le règlement municipal régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement (2005).

6. au moment d’adopter les règlements spécifiques, délègue l’autorité au directeur municipal qui mettra en application les ententes régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement.

7. demande au personnel de négocier la vente de la propriété du 424, rue Metcalfe, selon les dispositions du droit du premier refus permettant de récupérer la propriété dans l’éventualité d’une vente, selon les dispositions de l’entente négociée régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement et conformément au projet de règlement municipal régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement (2005) et les dispositions du présent rapport.

DOCUMENTATION

1. Deputy City Manager report dated 7 June 2007 (ACS2007-CPS-HOU-0010).

Report to/Rapport au :

Community and Protective Services Committee

Comité des services communautaires et de protection

and Council / et au Conseil

07 June 2007 / le 07 juin 2007

Submitted by/Soumis par: Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint,

Community and Protective Services/Services communautaires et de protection

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Russell Mawby, Director

Housing/Logement

(613) 580-2424 x 44162, russell.mawby@ottawa.ca

Ward 14 - Somerset

Ref N°: ACS2007-CPS-HOU-0010

SUBJECT:	ACTION OTTAWA 2007 – Beaver bARRACKS

OBJET :	Action Ottawa 2007 – cASERNE beaver

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Community and Protective Services Committee recommend that Council, in accordance with the provisions of the Action Ottawa program, approve that:

3. That up to $300,000 be provided from the Social Housing Reserve for the environmental clean-up cost of the 424 Metcalfe site.

6. Upon passing project specific by-laws, delegate authority to the City Manager to execute the project specific Municipal Housing Project Facilities agreements.

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité des Services communautaires et de protection recommande au Conseil municipal, conformément aux dispositions du programme Action Ottawa :

1. d’approuver la proposition de financement recommandée par le Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) au ministre des Affaires municipales et du Logement en vertu des dispositions du Programme Canada-Ontario de logement abordable (PLA);

2. d’allouer jusqu’à 7,0 millions de dollars des fonds du PLA à la Ville d’Ottawa; c’est‑à-dire accorder 3,0 millions de dollars des fonds pour dépenses en capital de la Ville, un montant estimé à 242 287 $ de subventions tenant lieu de frais de permis de construction et un montant estimé à 1,2 million de dollars de redressement spécial provenant des frais d’aménagement et des frais d’urbanisme, de quoi financer le projet décrit à l’annexe A, selon les conditions posées par le Comité de sélection et à la condition que le Conseil municipal rédige un règlement municipal régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement.

3. d’accorder jusqu’à 300 000 $ de la réserve de logement municipal pour couvrir les coûts de dépollution environnementale du 424, rue Metcalfe.

4. de demander au personnel de négocier des ententes sur les installations du projet avec les proposants retenus en fonction des modalités de la DP d’Action Ottawa du 20 février 2007, selon les recommandations du Comité de sélection des 4 et 5 juin 2007, selon les dispositions du projet de règlement municipal régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement (2005) et en respect des limites des contributions d’immobilisation municipale de la Ville.

5. au moment de la conclusion des négociations des ententes sur les installations du projet avec les proposants, d’autoriser le directeur des Services juridiques à s’adresser directement au Conseil municipal afin d’autoriser les règlements municipaux régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement en inscrivant les règlements à l’ordre du jour en vue de leur adoption dans le respect des limites établies par les ententes négociées, les recommandations du présent rapport et le règlement municipal régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement (2005).

6. au moment d’adopter les règlements spécifiques, de déléguer l’autorité au directeur municipal qui mettra en application les ententes régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement.

7. de demander au personnel de négocier la vente de la propriété du 424, rue Metcalfe, selon les dispositions du droit du premier refus permettant de récupérer la propriété dans l’éventualité d’une vente, selon les dispositions de l’entente négociée régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement et conformément au projet de règlement municipal régissant les installations relatives à des projets municipaux de logement (2005) et les dispositions du présent rapport.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In April 2006, the Province completed the guidelines for Wave I of the Canada/Ontario Affordable Housing Program (AHP). Under Wave I of this program, Ottawa was allocated funding for a total of 315 units of housing. To date 139 Units have been approved for development (ACS2005-CPS-HOU-0009). The Beaver Barracks project represents 100 units out of the 176 units remaining in the Wave I allocation.

Staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Beaver Barracks site in February 2007. The RFP was circulated to the community through advertisement on MERX and the City’s website, and e-mail announcement to a list of self-identified private and not-for-profit housing developers.

A selection committee comprising representatives from planning, real estate development, non-profit housing development, and social housing evaluated the four submitted proposals in accordance with City procurement policies and Action Ottawa program guidelines, including retention of a fairness commissioner. The recommended proposal, from Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) is described in the report and in Schedule A, attached. The project agreement will specify that the project will remain affordable for 35 years, though the non-profit structure of CCOC will ensure affordability beyond the term of the project agreement.

The proposal is subject to all normal planning approvals processes, including site plan approval. A mandatory community consultation will be held after the AHP funding is confirmed. All proponents met with staff from Planning, Transit and the Environment, and a city planner participated in the project selection committee, as did the design review architect for the National Capital Commission (NCC). The NCC has a design covenant on the site because of its location as a gateway to the downtown core.

City capital funding for the Beaver Barracks project was committed by Council in 2004 and confirmed in 2006. Staff are requesting that up to $300,000 be provided from the Social Housing Reserve to pay for the costs of cleaning up this brownfield site.

RÉSUMÉ

En avril 2006, le gouvernement provincial a rédigé les lignes directrices pour la première vague du Programme Canada-Ontario de logement abordable (PLA). Pendant la première vague du Programme, Ottawa a reçu du financement pour 315 unités de logement. Jusqu’à maintenant, la construction de 139 unités a été approuvée (ACS2005‑CPS‑HOU‑0009). Le projet de la caserne Beaver représente 100 des 176 unités de l’allocation de la première vague.

Le personnel a publié une demande de propositions (DP) pour le site de la caserne Beaver en février 2007. La DP a été diffusée dans la collectivité par l’intermédiaire de la publicité sur MERX et sur le site Web de la Ville, et une annonce-courriel a été envoyée à une liste de promoteurs privés déclarés et de promoteurs de logements à but non lucratif.

Un comité de sélection composé de représentants des services de planification, d’aménagement immobilier, d’aménagement de logements à but non lucratif et de logements sociaux a évalué les quatre propositions présentées, conformément aux politiques d’achat de la Ville et aux lignes directrices du programme Action Ottawa, et sous la supervision d’un commissaire de l’équité. Les propositions recommandées par le Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) sont décrites dans le rapport et à l’annexe A. L’entente de projet devra préciser que le projet demeurera abordable pendant 35 ans, bien que la structure à but non lucratif du CCOC permettra d’assurer l’abordabilité au‑delà du terme de l’entente de projet.

La proposition est assujettie à tous les processus normaux d’approbation de planification, notamment l’approbation du plan d’aménagement. Une consultation obligatoire de la collectivité aura lieu après la confirmation du financement du PLA. Tous les proposants se sont réunis avec le personnel du Service de l’urbanisme, du Transport en commun et de l’Environnement, et un urbaniste a participé au Comité de sélection du projet, tout comme l’architecte de révision du projet de la Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN). La CCN possède une clause restrictive sur le site en raison de son emplacement qui donne accès au cœur du centre-ville.

En 2004, le Conseil municipal a engagé les fonds d’immobilisations de la Ville pour la caserne Beaver, l’engagement a été confirmé en 2006. Le personnel a demandé à ce qu’au plus 300 000 $ proviennent de la Réserve de logement municipal pour couvrir les coûts de dépollution de cette friche industrielle.

BACKGROUND

Action Ottawa is the City’s primary program for increasing the supply of low-income affordable housing in Ottawa. The program is designed to facilitate the development of mixed income communities that are well designed and well managed, and built on a scale that ensures integration within the neighbourhood. There are approximately 10,000 households on the Social Housing Registry waiting list for subsidized housing. There is a need for all household unit sizes from bachelors to four bedroom units.

The site to be developed for affordable housing, the former Beaver Barracks located at 424 Metcalfe, was previously occupied by the Federal Government and was transferred to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton for the purposes of developing social housing.

This project is being funded through a partnership with the Federal and Provincial Governments under the Canada/Ontario Affordable Housing Program. The total allocation for the City of Ottawa under the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program (AHP) for new rental housing is 315 rental housing units ($22.05 million). Funding is not provided on a per unit basis, but is provided as a lump-sum capital investment based on a maximum of $70,000 of AHP funding per unit.

In October of 2005, Council approved funding for 139 units out of the allocation of 315 units. Table 1 outlines the status of the total allocation of 315 units.

Table 1: Status of project funding from AHP Wave I

Project	Report	# Units	Status
Gloucester Non-Profit	ACS2005-CPS-HOU-0009	139	Under construction
McLean Cooperative Homes
Multi-faith Housing Initiative
Quex Property Corp
Beaver Barracks		100	Presented for approval
Orleans Town Centre	ACS2006-PGM-ECO-0017	41	Final proposal expected Summer 2007
Tompkins Avenue	ACS2006-CPS-HOU- (Land)	35	RFP Fall 2007
Randall Avenue	ACS2006-CPS-HOU- (Land)	35	RFP Fall 2007
Totals		315

This report deals specifically with the Housing Branch recommendation, based on the recommendation of the Selection Committee, which met on June 4-5, 2007. Please see Schedule A for the project details.

DISCUSSION

On February 20, 2007, the Housing Branch released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of affordable housing on the City-owned site 424 Metcalfe. The site is located at the corner of Metcalfe and Catherine Street and also fronts on Argyle Street to the north. The corner at Metcalfe and Catherine is considered an important gateway into the national capital. See Schedule B for a plan of the development site.

The RFP had two key objectives:

- Primary Objective: To achieve a maximum number of rental housing units on the site that are permanently affordable.

- Secondary Objective: To reduce the operating cost to the owner and/or tenant through green building technology, energy and water conservation measures, and ecological sustainability of the building site.

Four proposals were received and reviewed by the Selection Committee, which included representatives from City and community experts in development. The design review architect for NCC was present at all evaluation meetings but was not a voting member. The process was managed by the City’s Procurement division. Partnering and Procurement Inc. was retained as the fairness commissioner from the start of the proposal development process.

The winning proposal was submitted by Centretown Citizen’s Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) with a team of design and development partners, including experts in sustainable and energy efficient design and construction.

The proposal is for a total of 195 affordable rental units in four buildings. A future second phase with up to 70 more units along Catherine St. was proposed but was not scored as part of this process. The proposal includes supportive housing in partnership with Ottawa Salus; Options Bytown; Disabled Persons Community Resources (DPCR); and possibly Families Matter Co-operative Inc.

This proposal significantly exceeds the City’s expectations with respect to affordable housing and meets the City’s expectations for environmental sustainability. The City’s minimum requirements were for 100 affordable units. Because of careful attention to project design and construction, CCOC was able to use the 100 units of funding to support the development of 195 units, and to exceed the Action Ottawa requirement that at least 60% of the funded units be affordable to low-income households while maintaining a mixed-income community.

In addition to evaluating the design and development aspects of proposals, the Action Ottawa program also evaluates the short and long-term financial viability of proposals, as well as a benchmark rate of return of the total public investment made in the project. The return on investment analysis is based on measuring the expected reduction in unit rents from average market as a result of the public capital investment. The selected proposal shows a net rent reduction of $480,000 in the first year, which equates to a 5.8% return on investment. The project agreement will specify that the project will remain affordable for 35 years, though the non-profit structure of CCOC will ensure affordability beyond the term of the project agreement.

CCOC proposes ground oriented townhouses and apartments along Argyle St., an 8 storey landmark apartment tower at Metcalfe and Catherine - the "gateway" site, maintaining the community garden space, and underground parking. The project will be extremely "green" and energy efficient as well.

There is a mandatory community consultation process built in, likely to occur in the fall, to refine the design as well as ensure an integrated approach to the energy-efficiency and sustainability of the design and construction.

The proposal is subject to all normal planning approvals processes, including site plan approval. All proponents met with staff from Planning, Transit and the Environment, and a city planner participated in the project selection committee, as did the design review architect for the National Capital Commission (NCC). The NCC has a design covenant on the site because of its location as a gateway to the downtown core.

Proponents for Action Ottawa programs are expected to incorporate energy efficiency and sustainability in their proposal. The Housing Branch, in cooperation with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), will work with the proponent and their development team in a sustainable design charrette to maximize the energy-efficiency and long-term sustainability of the design within the cost constraints of Action Ottawa and the AHP. The charrette process is a collaborative effort with the development team to outline practical design solutions for the site that incorporate sustainable development principles and features.

An application has been made to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities under the Green Municipal Fund to assist with the cost of consultant studies on implementing various energy efficiency technologies and designs.

The Phase II Environmental Assessment commissioned by the City revealed the presence of subsurface demolition materials ranging from 1.5 – 2.0m in thickness. Based on the report, the demolition debris and impacted soils contain some substances in excess of MOEE guidelines and will need to be removed and disposed of off-site. As such the site is considered a Brownfield. The cost to remove these soils is estimated to be between $275,000 and $300,000 based on current tipping fees and assuming the excavation is done concurrent with site development. As the owner of the site, the City is responsible for these costs, though as per the City`s Community Improvement Plan and Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy, this investment will allow this undeveloped site to be developed, with a resulting increase in property tax revenues.

The Housing Branch intends to apply to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund call for proposals for Brownfield Remediation. The proposal call is scheduled to be released August 22, 2007. A successful application could result in assistance of up to 50% of the cost to clean up the site. The Housing Branch proposes to provide an interest free loan to the proponent for the balance of the clean-up cost.

If approved by Council, this recommendation to fund CCOC to build 195 affordable housing units will be submitted to the Province for review.

CONSULTATION

The call for proposals was circulated to the community through advertisement on MERX and the City’s website, and e-mail announcement to a list of self-identified housing developers. A public information session was held on March 5, 2007. More than 25 people attended. As a result of questions raised at the meeting and throughout the submission period, staff issued nine addenda to clarify issues. All proponents met with staff from Planning, Transit and the Environment, and a city planner participated in the project selection committee, as did the design review architect for the National Capital Commission (NCC).

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

$3.24 million is currently available in the Affordable Housing Capital Building Fund to fund this project. An additional $300,000 from the Social Housing Reserve Fund will be required for the environmental clean up of the site. Future property tax revenue generated with the development of this property will offset the clean-up costs.

Upon approval $3.54 million will be transferred to newly created capital project CCOC-Beaver Barracks.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Schedule A: Summary of City incentives for the CCOC development.

Schedule B: Location map of the project site.

DISPOSITION

Housing Branch will notify the Province of the recommended housing project approved by Council. Upon receiving Provincial approval, the Housing Branch will inform proponents that they may proceed with development.

Housing Branch staff will work to ensure timely implementation of all necessary funding agreements.

Legal will bring project specific Municipal Housing Facility by-laws before Council for approval.

Housing Branch and Legal Services will execute the Municipal Housing Facilities Agreements (MHFA) for the project.

The Housing Branch will flow funding to the projects according to milestones in MHFA.

Finance staff will establish procedures for the disbursement and repayment of the no-interest loan under the Community Improvement Plan and Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy.

Schedule A: Summary of City incentives for the CCOC development.