That Council support in principle a contribution of $75,000 to Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation, funded from the Housing Legacy Reserve, to facilitate a non-market housing delivery system pilot, and direct Staff to work with partner groups to further explore viability of the pilot program.
much. Councillor Gesselbroak. Thanks, just speaking to this item, um, it's on the floor. Okay. It's interesting with our procurement policy, the full pilot, um, wasn't able, um, to be funded. Um, and then staff came back with two options. One to go with, um, support and principle of a 75, 000 dollar pilot, uh, with the Nano Prosperity Corporation and the Nanaimo housing working group and the anchor corporation. And then also to go for 300, 000 dollar RFP out. And I think, um, you know, in the discussion, what was clear to me was that council, um, there was a high degree of agreeance and consensus that we did need to start taking forward steps towards supporting non - market housing development, the community. Our stop done an amazing job pulling out all stops. I'm trying to promote non - market housing with other means outside of directly getting involved in non - market housing development. But we are still falling far short. Um, coming up is our, our, our housing needs assessment report. And we're producing, you know, between zero and 100. This year it's minus 30 units of non - market housing. And we need 400 units out to 2040. So the huge need. And to get that non - market housing, we need to bring together four things. Um, low cost financing was important. Um, and the provincial government has stepped back. Um, the amount of funding towards non - market housing. We need to bring building innovation to bring the cost of developing the family units down. We also have to bring land to the table, be it through the city, through nonprofits that own land and other institutions. And then also figure out how we're going to manage this land with our non - market housing providers. And the huge gap in coordination. Now exactly what the first step is to bring that coordination about is up for debate. And I think this is the debate here. But we do need to take that first step. And, you know, mulling over the different paths I've been humming and hind, either direction for me. Um, could work. But ultimately, I think the 75, 000 dollar, what it does is it brings all the, and what we're going to have staff do and the support and principle is at staff's going to go away with the different collaborators and come back with clear deliverables of what that 75, 000 dollars will go towards, but ultimately what that kicks off is, uh, everybody coming to the table and discussing exactly what do we need to deliver non - market housing at scale? Because the different models. The city could develop corporation that owns the land. It could build the housing and manage it. Um, we could just have a community land trust and that we, and then we have developers come in, develop the land and then manage by a nonprofit. There's multiple different things. And that needs to be figured out. But we also do need to move forward with a pilot that actually shows that building affordability is possible. And so I think what the 75, 000 dollars will do will take those first initial steps of what could this greater coordination function look like. And also, um, what could an initial pilot look like that will actually get units in the ground. And so I'm confident that with the Nano Prosperity Corporation and the conversation, the City in IMO, the Nanaimo housing working group and the anchor corporation, which is bringing in new ideas from outside this community. Those next steps can be start out. And I don't want to stop the momentum from starting to take them. And who knows what'll lead into maybe an RFP down the road to complete the thing or more information will be brought back to council to maybe go ahead with a housing development corporation. So I'm in support of taking this first step. Um, and
you. When this matter last game before council indicated, I am placing enormous trust. In folks I know very well involved with an ammo housing working group. I still have significant concerns. I'm going to support this regardless. But I would also note that we, uh, all received and council day a letter from the Nanaima Homelessness Leadership table, uh, indicating that they, uh, hope that they will be, how shall I say. Participants in this and be consulted given the working knowledge they have. Um, I'm not convinced that after the systems planning organisation, the money council put into that process, uh, rising out of the health and housing task force, uh, that we are going to see any real program in this, but candidly given the seriousness of the problem, the seeming inability for various silos in government to get together to ensure that, uh, the most vulnerable amongst us receive the kind of care and housing they need. I'm again, prepared to support it. But I do so, as I say, uh, with a fair bit of reluctance, with a great deal of trust placed in the people involved, uh, expect something, uh, out of this 75, 000 dollars money, uh, something that I can understand, something that will hopefully include some kind of a reasonable business plan of further funds are requested that will ensure that we get value for our dollar that this is not just some, uh, goose chase that makes us feel good about trying to move the ball down the road. But
in fact, isn't accomplish anything. Councillor Thorpe. Thank you very much for worship. I share some of the concerns that you've just expressed. And I can understand Councillor Brown's position on this. I was certainly of two minds. I am going to support this as I did originally, but I think, uh, as you've referenced trust, yes, we need to have trust. But as I indicated in the earlier debate, we also have to be very aware of our duties to show a good governance. And for me, that comes back to, uh, being told being assured that deliverables specific deliverables on this project and this pilot would be made available to us and be approved by council before we go any further down this road. So on that basis,