Housing Accelerator Fund

Official Plan Amendments and Implementing Zoning By-laws for Three Centres 

Accelerating planning changes to enable residential development in three key strategic growth areas.

• Official Plan and zoning by-law amendments will facilitate intensification, reduce parking minimums, and require developers to create family-sized units in high-density developments.
• Consider the use of inclusionary zoning to secure long-term affordable housing units. 

Encouraging affordable housing developments and improving environmental sustainability through incentives.

• Conduct a feasibility study and consult the community about the types of financial incentives, such as grants or loans, land, and tax assistance, that should be included in the new CIP program.
• Setting sustainability targets to lower new and existing buildings' long-term greenhouse gas emissions.

Visit Richmond Hill's project page about the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) - Affordable Housing and Sustainable Design

Infrastructure Acceleration Incentive Program 

Addressing infrastructure barriers and accelerating timelines to increase housing supply.

• This new program will encourage developers to construct water, sanitary, stormwater and other growth-related infrastructure needed for new housing by offsetting unallocated costs (i.e., the portion not fully covered by development charge revenues).
• Developers will be required to submit building permit applications in a timely manner to receive the incentive.

Reducing approval times by simplifying the development approvals process.

• Following a comprehensive review of the development review process, the City will implement recommendations to improve transparency and predictability and reduce process steps.
• As part of this project the City will consider delegating some approvals to municipal staff based on established guidelines.

Richmond Hill Centre Secondary Plan 

Pre-zoning and accelerating approvals to increase high-density residential developments near two future subway stations.

• When completed, Richmond Hill Centre will be a transit-oriented public space that offers multiple services in what will be the city’s highest-density community.
• Pre-zoning will set out land use permissions, acceptable heights and density, built-form and public amenity requirements, and zoning by-law amendments will reduce parking minimums and require family-sized units.
• A new development planning team reporting directly to the City Manager’s Office will streamline and fast-track approvals. 

Neighbourhood Zoning By-law 

Introducing as-of-right zoning permissions to promote infill development and missing middle housing options in low-density neighbourhoods.

• Pre-zoning will allow a range of needed middle housing forms (triplex, fourplex, townhouse, low-rise apartment, and walk-up apartment) in neighbourhoods.
• The City will consider reduced parking requirements close to transit and review development standards to facilitate innovative housing construction. 

Concierge Program for Affordable Housing 

Creating a single point-of-contact for affordable housing projects to streamline and expedite approvals.

• A program to provide a dedicated project manager to offer a single contact to guide affordable housing development applications through the approvals process. 

Surplus and Underused Lands for Affordable Housing Program 

Implementing a new program to repurpose City-owned land for affordable housing.

• An inventory of surplus and underused City property will identify sites well suited to affordable housing redevelopment, which will be tested with a pilot project site.
• The pilot will inform a long-term framework for partnerships with non-profit housing providers to redevelop City-owned sites.
• The City’s land disposition and asset management policies will be updated to prioritize and promote affordable housing redevelopment opportunities. 

Increasing Housing Density Near Major Transit Stations and in Neighbourhoods

Updating density and height planning rules near transit Permitting four-storey buildings in major transit station areas to increase housing supply significantly.

• Implementing four units as-of-right per residential lot, which is an increase from the three units currently permitted.