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Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
City staff recommend allowing sixplexes across all Toronto neighbourhoods
Coming to a street near you — sixplexes? City of Toronto staff are recommending that multiplexes of up to six units and four storeys be allowed as-of-right in neighbourhoods across the city. They're also recommending a cap on the maximum number of bedrooms in multiplexes, in a pair of new reports that head to the Housing and Planning Committee next week. 'I think it's really important. It's a form of housing that we really need. It's part of the so-called 'missing middle,'' said Ken Greenberg, principal of Greenberg Consultants and former director of urban design and architecture for the City of Toronto, of the sixplex move. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'You have people of different ages and different stages in their lives who can all share a neighbourhood.' Multiplexes were allowed as-of-right — meaning without special permissions — citywide in spring 2023, and sixplexes were studied under a pilot project in Ward 23 (Scarborough North) earlier this year. The changes were supposed to encourage more 'missing-middle housing,' the kind of homes that fall somewhere between lowrise detached and semi-detached houses, and tiny condos. In the past, much of Toronto was zoned for either extreme, leading to jagged, uneven growth and a lack of affordable options. If approved, sixplexes would only be allowed in detached homes. Staff also recommend a 0.5-metre increase to the maximum building height to 10.5 metres, to allow for higher ceilings in basement apartments, as the Ward 23 pilot found they were often needed to get to six units. 'Expanding multiplex permissions will increase new lowrise housing options for Torontonians,' reads a summary of the report recommending the change on the city's website. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'New residents in lowrise neighbourhoods can help stabilize declining populations, optimize the use of existing infrastructure, and support local retail establishments and services.' Multiplexes are also environmentally friendly, as residents can bike, walk or take public transit to work, and are more accessible for younger people who might otherwise be priced out of the city, Greenberg added. The city received 750 building permit applications for multi-unit buildings between May 2023 and November 2024, with 452 permits issued. In general, there were more multiplex permits in Toronto—East York as well as parts of Etobicoke—York. Ward 9 (Davenport), Ward 4 (Parkdale—High Park) and Ward 11 (Rosedale-University) had the most multiplex building permit activity, according to the multiplex report. The Ward 23 study found sixplexes could be accommodated on 61 per cent of lots. This number is probably even higher across the city, as many residential lots are quite large, staff noted in the report. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Between the two reports the city also reported on feedback from community consultations on multiplexes, which included concerns about affordability, garbage, the impact of increased density on flooding, parking, and property taxes. On sixplexes, North Toronto's Valleyanna Residents' Association, for example, registered its disproval with an email from members submitted to the city saying, 'The proposal would allow new builds to dwarf existing homes and increased density would affect parking, traffic, and noise in these neighbourhoods.' However, there was also support for multiplexes in the community, with some residents saying they are a way for seniors to stay in neighbourhoods and for multiple generations of families to live together. The sixplex recommendation and multiplex review come as several recent multiplex proposals have upset neighbours, who argued they would increase traffic and noise on their streets. Some of those proposals, which required variances, were denied by the committee of adjustment. There have also been a few projects marketed as condos, instead of rentals, with hefty price tags that have led at least one councillor to argue they're not in keeping with the spirit of the multiplex bylaw. Greenberg said one option to address that concern could be for the city to restrict multiplexes to rentals. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW This was not one of the recommendations in the city's ' multiplex monitoring program' report, which specifies that a multiplex can be owned or rented. The report does recommend a maximum number of bedrooms depending on the number of units to distinguish from rooming houses as well as allowing multiplexes in semi-detached homes. Further, it recommends not permitting reverse slope driveways in multiplexes. They are not allowed for other types of lowrise housing under the city's zoning rules. The report found that while multiplexes 'contribute only minor increases in flow to the sewer system' in areas with combined sewers, more of them may increase the risk of basement flooding. If approved at the Housing and Planning committee on June 12, the multiplex and sixplex changes will be put to city council for a final vote at its late June meeting.
STV News
15-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Government urged to create action plan one year after housing emergency declared
A Holyrood committee has urged the Government to create a national action plan to address the housing emergency. MSPs voted to declare a housing emergency one year ago, following on from a similar move by local councils as homelessness reached record levels. An inquiry by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee found the housing emergency was 'years, even decades in the making and was therefore both predictable and preventable', according to convener Ariane Burgess. As of September 30 last year, 16,634 households were living in temporary accommodation, including 10,360 children, with both figures the highest on record. Figures for 2024 also show that the number of homes built dropped by 7%, while new homes started by construction firms fell by 9%. The committee's report urges ministers to create a plan and work across all Government departments to tackle the issue. 'The committee recommends that the Scottish Government develop a national overarching housing emergency action plan by the end of this session of Parliament in collaboration with the wider housing sector,' the report said. 'This should include clear milestones and outcomes to enable progress to be measured. 'A whole-systems approach is required that is led by the Scottish Government and its partners in order to stabilise housing in Scotland and help prevent future emergencies. 'The committee therefore recommends that the Scottish Government sets out how it will better coalesce its own departments around tackling housing need and ensure that wider policies across different portfolios can have a positive impact.' Ahead of the anniversary of the declaration, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville touted the Government's action in the past year and its plans for the future, including spending £768 million on affordable housing, funding local councils, and investing £2 million in the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership to free up unused housing stock. The committee also urged the Government to confirm how the increase in housing spending this year, around £200m from last year, will impact its target of building 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. Ms Somerville said: 'Providing everyone in Scotland the right to a warm, safe and affordable home is essential to our key priority of eradicating child poverty. 'The measures we have taken have meant increased investment in the affordable housing sector and fewer families living in temporary accommodation. 'As a result of our actions, an estimated more than 2,600 households with children have been helped into affordable housing in the year up to December 2024. 'We have delivered 136,000 affordable homes, with 97,000 of those for social rent, between 2007 and the end of December 2024. 'We are also working to identify and turn around empty private and social homes and encouraging more funding streams into the sector through our housing investment taskforce. 'It is encouraging that we are seeing a reduction in families in temporary accommodation in some local authority areas. 'However, we know there is more to do, which is why we have increased the affordable housing budget for this financial year by £200m to £768m. In the longer term, we will also introduce homelessness prevention measures and a system of long-term rent controls in our Housing (Scotland) Bill. 'We are determined to tackle the housing emergency and ensure that everyone in Scotland can have somewhere to call home.' Scottish Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin described the Government as 'arrogant and out of touch', adding: 'Since the SNP was forced to declare a housing emergency a year ago, housebuilding has plummeted, the number of children in temporary accommodation has risen to a record high, and rent and house prices have continued to climb. 'The SNP's Programme for Government has been described as a 'programme for homelessness' and its incompetent housing minister is still in a job. 'The SNP's desperate spin won't wash with the people who are living through the dire consequences of this housing emergency.' Scottish Conservative housing spokeswoman Meghan Gallacher said: 'This stark report makes it clear the SNP have been missing in action since finally agreeing a housing emergency was occurring on their watch. 'They have continued to recklessly support rent controls, which do not work, and have continued to ask cash-strapped councils to do more with less as they try to meet local demand for housing. 'With a record number of children in temporary accommodation and housebuilding collapsing across Scotland, the SNP Government needs to wake up. 'They should mark this anniversary by accepting that current housing policies are failing, ditch plans for permanent rent controls, and instead encourage much-needed investment into our flagging housing sector.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
05-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Tenants could have saved £1000 under Scottish Green rent control plans
The party published plans to end 'rip-off rents' through amendments to the upcoming Housing (Scotland) Bill. This would mean rents would increase no more than the cost-of-living or increases in wages. In areas where rents are already too high, local councils would be able to put in place lower increases, freezes or rent reductions. The proposals would end winter evictions, allowing tenants to withhold rent for poor quality properties, and to force absentee landlords to sell derelict properties for housing. READ MORE: Are Donald Trump's Scottish businesses actually a financial success? The Scottish Government's plan would see increases capped by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation plus 1%, up to a maximum of 6%. The Greens proposals would instead cap rent by the CPI, earnings growth or 6%, whichever is lowest. It comes as the Scottish Parliament Information Centre found that tenants in a two-bedroom flat would have saved at least £1000 per year if the model proposed by the party had been in place from 2019. The independent analysis also found someone renting a two-bedroom property in Lothian, one of the areas with the highest rents, would now be at least £272 a month better off. The amendments are set to be scrutinised on Tuesday by Holyrood's Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee. (Image: PA) Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman said: 'Nobody should be put in a position where the lion's share of their income is being spent on paying rent, leaving them with very little left to pay for food, heating and electricity bills, or to simply enjoy their lives. 'All parties agree that we are in a housing emergency, but we need to start acting like it. The proposals we have published will ensure a robust system of rent controls that will support tenants and end rip off rents. 'Our proposals would give stability to households and families on the frontline of the crisis, and make sure rents are fairer across the board going forward. 'By tying rents to average earnings, we are establishing an important principle that rents should not rise faster than renters' ability to pay. 'Homes are for living in, not for grotesque profiteering. READ MORE: Scotland urged to 'take lead' on investigating Donald Trump's finances "The Housing Bill was introduced by the Scottish Greens. It gives us the opportunity to transform the broken housing market and protect renters all across our country.' Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: 'Scotland already has some of the strongest rights in the UK for tenants, and we are taking forward measures in the Housing Bill to support the introduction of longer-term rent control where this is needed. 'Supporting tenants is a priority for the Scottish Government. 'From 1 April 2025, protections continue to be in place against rent increases above market rent for most private tenants and we would encourage tenants to make use of their right to a review of a rent increase where necessary.'
