In the wake of denying a business incentive grant to an affordable housing project, town council has decided to draft a new policy regarding grants for multifamily units and infill development.
The business with the affordable housing project was denied the business grant Jan. 28 because council felt it didn’t meet proper qualifications.
“I’m still standing by what I said before,” said Coun. Gayle Rondeel. “I’m all for making an additional policy that would cover residential of multi-family and infill and subsidized housing of affordable housing, if that’s what we want. But I don’t believe that this particular application that we got warrants approval.”
“I think it’s clear it doesn’t. If it was going to be accepted we’d either have to change the policy or waive the policy,” added Mayor Sheldon Ibbotson.
Rondeel would have been more supportive of the application if it had been made clear from the start it was to be affordable housing. Traditionally, it can’t be constructed just anywhere.
“Usually it takes consent from your neighbors because as it states here affordable housing is low-income, often transients, which brings other issues to the neighborhood,” said Rondeel.
“The whole thing about it is it’s got to be planned and intentional, meaning you apply,” said Coun. Paul Payson.
On the recommendation of CAO Tony Goode, council decided to begin drafting a new policy for infill and multi-family units in general, not just affordable housing.
However, Rondeel wanted a clause or appendix added addressing only affordable housing. That way other factors such as infill incentives and preferential mill rates could be considered.
