Elections
Do you support an expanded role for Hamilton to provide more affordable housing? If so, what should Hamilton do?
Responses to the question: "Do you support an expanded role for Hamilton to provide more affordable housing? If so, what should Hamilton do?"
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7 Candidate Responses (top)
| Ward 09 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Conley, Doug | Maybe | Need more information.
|
| Galindo, Cam | Yes | Yes. It's time for Hamilton to start addressing the issue of poverty by expanding it's role to provide more affordable housing.
|
| Marrone, Tone | Maybe | |
| McMullen, Geraldine | Yes | Yes, I do support Hamilton having an expanded role. Having worked in an MPP’s office, I heard many devastating stories of extremely long wait lists and people who slip through the cracks dealing with bureaucratic red tape. Advocacy at the provincial and federal levels needs to be continuous so the residents in the Greater Hamilton Area can live in dignity in safe, accessible housing.
|
| Robbins, Marie | Yes | When we see the effect of all the people flocking to Hamilton’s downtown in recent years, it becomes clear that this is a process we want to keep alive. These new residents have been a major factor in the downtown’s revitalization as they bring new life to the city and greater Hamilton region. This migration to downtown has brought about shared prosperity and has been a major factor instigating the current Hamilton renaissance. There are many things that have contributed to the Hamilton renaissance, but perhaps what has pushed our city over the tipping point is the affordability of housing.
Housing affordability has been one of the major economic drivers in the city and is going to remain a key component of Hamilton’s future success. With some of the most reasonable housing and land prices in the GTHA, more and more people have decided that they would like to move to our city. Although at first, the demand for housing had been satisfied with the existing stock, that stock of existing housing has started to run dry, and so new developments are starting to be built. We can see what this looks like by observing the new developments being built in downtown; this is the economy trying to keep pace with the demand for new and reasonably priced housing. At some point though, housing prices are going to start to catch up with the rest of the GTHA and then we can expect growth and new building will slow, and the economy along with it. To make sure that we avoid this situation, we need to ensure that housing remains affordable to residents through a comprehensive strategy that keeps increases in new housing harmonized with the demands of the market. In other words, when there is a demand for new housing that cannot be satisfied by new buildings due to zoning restrictions, prices start to rise, less people come to the city and builders build less. The City needs to start conducting zoning and building approvals with an eye to economics so that this situation does not occur and our renaissance is not discontinued. That is not to suggest that zoning needs to be scrapped and that we should allow for a building free-for-all in the city, certainly not. Giving meticulous consideration to zoning and planning helps to improve the livability of cities, which is the most important factor governing where people choose to live. However, we need to move beyond idealistic zoning plans to a zoning strategy which gives equal consideration to a holistic economic strategy. Instead of developing our city against the flow of economic trends, we need to have a zoning strategy that dams up the raw potential of economic trends and harnesses them to build us a better city. |
| Rosser, Christopher | No | I believe that if there is a need it will be provided for. I don't believe that the government should be involved in affordable housing.
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| Rukavina, Frank | Yes | Safe and affordable housing impacts the overall health and well-being of our hard working individuals and families. In Hamilton’s new Urban Official Plan, affordable housing has been identified as a community benefit. Section 37 of the Ontario Planning Act allows more affordable housing options. The City of Burlington has adopted a relatively simply process to obtain community benefits under Section 37 of the Planning Act. If elected I will work to implement the City of Burlington’s model. |
Response Summary (top)
| Brief Response | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 4 | 57.1% |
| No | 1 | 14.3% |
| Maybe | 2 | 28.6% |
2 Candidates Have Not Responded (top)
| Ward 09 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Austin, Lee | ||
| Fiorentino, Nancy | ||
