Saskatoon asked to approve cash incentives for 256 affordable housing units

The $3.5 million parcel slated for the development of Camponi Commons, a 120-unit affordable housing development. (Source: City of Saskatoon)

City councillors are being asked to clear the path for the construction of 256 new affordable housing units on Wednesday.

Councillors will vote on whether to approve capital grants and a nearly-$2 million five-year tax abatement for three affordable housing projects on land currently owned by the city, including a 112-unit development next to the downtown bus terminal, and a 120-unit project adjacent to the Lakewood Civic Centre.

The grants, which include payments up to $50,000 per unit, will come from federal funds committed through the housing accelerator plan, while the tax abatements will require the city to forego millions in potential tax revenue over five years to support the expansion in the market for affordable living spaces.

The two larger projects are being spearheaded by non-profit organizations.

Local immigrant and refugee settlement agency the Saskatoon Open Door Society is behind the downtown project.

“Often times our staff are struggling — just like the rest of the city and community — to find open and suitable accommodation, living spaces, for individuals and for families coming,” Open Door spokesperson Ahmad Majid told the city’s planning and development committee in a presentation earlier this month.

He told the committee the Open Door Society hopes to fill a much-needed gap in the city’s rental market.

Majid said the proposed 112-unit development would be open to everyone, not just the organization’s clients, particularly for vulnerable and racialized populations.

“Our big thing is we realize that there is a huge gap in the community for our clients and for others, and we see that these 112 units to be developed will help all of us, and of course our clients, as well,” he said.

Majid said the project has been dubbed Welcome Place.

“A purpose-built centralized facility that integrates affordable housing with comprehensive community services. Located in Saskatoon’s downtown core, the development aims to become a hub of opportunity, empowerment, and connection for newcomers, racialized groups, seniors, youth, and individuals living with disabilities.”

A private sector developer is also asking for a tax break and federal grants for a comparatively modest 24-unit affordable apartment on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Ruth Street.

The largest of the three proposed projects, a 120-unit Camponi Housing development that aims to expand affordable options on the city’s east side, is asking councillors to waive off-site levies to facilitate construction, in addition to the grants and tax abatement.

Camponi Housing is the largest Métis housing provider in Saskatchewan, with over 350 units, many of which are family-sized spaces across Saskatoon.

If the financial incentives are approved and Camponi Housing moves forward with the development, it could bring hundreds of new residents to the neighbourhood.

Many residents in Saskatoon’s established neighbourhoods wrote letters opposing the zoning changes that opened the gates for these city-wide infill developments.

Hundreds wrote letters to council last year, many expressing concerns the increased density would burden city infrastructure, limit parking, and disrupt the character of their neighbourhoods.

However, Camponi Housing spokesperson Angela Bishop told councillors earlier this month her organization currently has over 800 families on the waiting list looking for affordable housing, and the city’s community plan is calling for more options on the east side.

Bishop said Camponi is spending $3.5 million on the land purchase alone, and its ready to make a significant investment in the neighbourhood with the 120-unit project they’re calling Camponi Commons.

“It’s in a great neighbourhood, close to amenities, and with our on-site supports, wrap-around services, it will be a great place to live, and among the key considerations for us is to live in a community of good neighbors and community acceptance.” said Bishop.

She said her organization has heard from people excited for the development, and also “from those who are not; [who] have concerns about this project.”

The building itself will include amenities such as daycare spaces, a rooftop garden, shared green areas, solar panels and energy efficient materials, she said.

City council votes on the development committee recommendations on Wednesday.