CAC Crowdsourced Climate Implications
Crowdsourced - Inclusionary Zoning
Crowdsourced Effort - Tree Protection By-Laws
Crowdsourced5
Executive summary
Background
- Inclusionary Zoning is a planning tool used to create affordable housing by requiring new residential developments to include a predetermined amount of affordable housing among the new homes that are built.
- Inclusionary Zoning requires a “set aside rate,” the proportion of a building set aside for the affordable units required.
- A recent 2020 study by the City of Mississauga found that 70% of households couldn’t purchase any type of housing without spending >30% of their household income.
- Only 10% of the population could afford a detached dwelling with an average price of over $1.2 Million.
- Renter households are having difficulty finding housing that suits their needs.
- In the Province’s Bill 23, the housing legislation sets aside five percent of units as affordable units, in developments along major transit routes.
- An extensive review of set aside rates in the U.S. found that set asides of 10-20% are the most common, but over 20% of all the programs that require set asides used a rate over 15% (ACORN, Inclusionary Zoning Best Practice Report, 2019).
Climate implications
Crowdsourced Climate Implications (Opportunities/Risks)
Climate Opportunities
- Opportunity – High density will hopefully increase the use of active transportation
- Opportunity – The cost to build new infrastructure to service “sprawl” impacts the budget for maintaining existing infrastructure
- Opportunity – We know population is increasing. Inclusionary Zoning to allow “15-minute cities” so that people live close to where they work, live, and play is a climate win for many reasons
Climate Risks
- Potential Climate Risk – Not informing the Committee of Adjustment decision body of regulatory changes; We’re seeing COA issue decisions that counter contemporary changes, including support for inclusionary zoning
- Potential Climate Risk – Components of the home (heating, cooking appliances) may not be low-carbon or more sustainable options to prevent the need to retrofit later on
Preliminary Climate Implications
- How could inclusionary zoning impact the climate?
- Inclusionary Zoning is focused on increasing the number of affordable homes being built. If these buildings create GHG emissions, those homes will have GHG implications.
- How could a lack of inclusionary zoning impact the climate?
- More transportation emissions from commuters if they must live far away due to the unaffordability of housing near their workplace
Decision High-Level Questions:
- Is this decision the only option available to meet the need/hoped-for outcome?
- There can be more focus on governmental affordable housing, but the need is so great that governments and the private sector need to work together to address the housing crisis and increase the stock of more affordable housing.
- What other options were considered?
- Leaving housing and rental prices up to the market
- What other issues are we trying to solve?
- Reducing costs related to support for the shelter system
- Societal issues related to people being unhoused.
- Poverty issues related to people spending such a high percentage of their income on housing
Economic implications of populations not being able to live where work is and large commuting requirements.
- Is this work locking in long-term emissions?
- If the buildings use fossil fuels and release GHG emissions, yes.
- What consequences could arise from this?
- These homes will likely need to be retrofitted soon to reduce their GHG emissions.
- Does the work align with [municipal] policies related to [the] environment and climate?
- They can undermine GHG reduction targets, but that should not be used as an excuse not to advance inclusionary zoning because increasing affordable housing is such an immediately pressing issue.
Mitigation High-Level Questions:
- How does it support/undermine the Climate Action Mitigation Plan?
- Inclusionary zoning supports Climate Action Mitigation Plans because it increases density, reduces urban sprawl, and increases people’s density around Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs), lessening people’s dependency on vehicles for transportation work, shopping for needs, etc.
- What GHG emissions are associated with this decision?
- Likely to increase GHG emissions because of the energy needs of the building if those energy needs are met via fossil fuels.
- What GHG reduction efforts have been incorporated?
- Green development standards allow the municipality to address the GHG emissions from constructing new affordable housing.
- What other options were considered?
- Not requiring new affordable housing requirements in new developments.
- What are the embodied carbon implications?
- Embodied carbon can be addressed via embodied carbon calculations and decisions during the design and construction stage
- [Are] there additional benefits that outweigh the increase in GHG emissions?
- People are housed, less stress on the shelter system, less stress on individuals, food banks, food programs, cooling centres, and warming centres.
- What potential consequences could arise from this action? Are we doing more for less?
- Developer resistance and/or resident resistance to increased density.
- Does this address a legislative/regulatory responsibility?
- Addresses a recognized priority policy for all levels of government and all members of society
Adaptation High-Level Questions:
- How does it support/undermine the Climate Action Adaptation Plan?
- All development will ultimately turn permeable surfaces into impermeable surfaces; however, inclusionary zoning enables affordable housing where development is already occurring.
- What are the stormwater implications?
- See above bullet and green development standards implemented would ensure precipitation, stormwater, and flooding are considered.
- Modal split (ability to move modal split from Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOV) to Active Transportation (AT))
- Not easy to achieve at the site level; this needs to be advanced at the system level to make a change. However, it is the individual pieces that make up the system.
- What accessibility issues might there be?
- Inclusionary zoning would improve accessibility for its residents through increased access to major transit station areas, amenities, and access to their daily needs (groceries, etc.)
- Equity implications related to the decision (potential equity implications are being explored via another crowdsourcing effort)
- Income level
- Inclusionary zoning requires developments to include affordable units as a percentage of the total number of units in the development. The downtown core of municipalities, especially in larger municipalities, tends to be the most expensive. These areas tend to have the most access to public transit and amenities. Inclusionary zoning breaks down this affordability barrier by mandating access to affordable housing in the downtown core, increasing access to public transit and amenities, and lead to a more walkable, bikeable, liveable city.
- Vulnerable and Underserved populations
- When looking at the history of urban planning, vulnerable and underserved populations have often been relegated to areas with poor public transit access and few amenities. These areas often require an SOV to get around. These areas have traditionally not been given priority when developing new greenspace, public transit, bike lanes, or other amenities, and have disproportionate amounts of concrete, paved areas compared to suburban neighbourhoods. These under-served and equity-deserving populations will significantly benefit from inclusionary zoning because it reduces barriers to affordable housing, public transit, good amenities, and abundant green space.
- Age
- Children would greatly benefit from access to more greenspace, amenities, public transit, and elderly folks who may not drive or have mobility needs. In addition, close amenities are essential for elderly folks with mobility restrictions to feel connected to their community and independent—better access to hospitals, walk-in clinics, and emergency care.
- Income level
- Have health co-benefits been identified or calculated?
- The health co-benefits are clear: Housing people who may be under housed without inclusionary zoning provides them with shelter, access to cooking facilities, water, and personal hygiene facilities. In addition, increasing density in protected major transit station areas may reduce people’s dependency on single-occupancy vehicles and increase the number of people using public transportation. This would decrease emissions and improve air quality in the downtown core. Inclusionary zoning may also relieve financial burdens on lower-income residents, relieving stress and anxiety over finances, and may improve their mental and physical health, accordingly.
- May increase active transportation, which has many health benefits
- May increase the use of public transit over single-occupancy vehicles (SOVs), lowering GHG emissions and improving air quality in urban areas.
- May reduce financial stress on residents, leading to improved mental and physical health
- May improve accessibility for disabled and mobility-restricted folks
- The health co-benefits are clear: Housing people who may be under housed without inclusionary zoning provides them with shelter, access to cooking facilities, water, and personal hygiene facilities. In addition, increasing density in protected major transit station areas may reduce people’s dependency on single-occupancy vehicles and increase the number of people using public transportation. This would decrease emissions and improve air quality in the downtown core. Inclusionary zoning may also relieve financial burdens on lower-income residents, relieving stress and anxiety over finances, and may improve their mental and physical health, accordingly.
- Does this help address the municipality’s high risks or vulnerabilities? If so, which?
- Indeed, a municipality’s high risks or vulnerabilities could be addressed through inclusionary zoning. Increasing density will reduce urban sprawl, reducing the amount of farmland and natural areas converted into new housing developments.
- Does this address a regulatory or legal responsibility?
- Yes, under the Province’s new Bill 23, five percent of all new developments must be affordable units. Municipalities advancing their own Inclusionary Zoning policy would add to this existing responsibility, and municipalities could establish a more standardized set-aside rate of 10-20%. Ireland has a requirements for 30% of all units to be affordable for example.