housing in my backyard: a municipal guide for responding to nimby

Housing in my Backyard:A Municipal Guide for Responding to NIMBY

Affordability andChoice Todaywww.actprogram.com

Affordability and Choice TodayNIMBY

Overview of presentation

Why a guide for municipal officials?

What is NIMBY

Common Concerns…and How to Respond

Strategies to Gain Acceptance…


Why a Guide for Municipal Officials?

NIMBY – one of the top regulatory barriers to affordable housing (CMHC survey)

Focus on strategies and tools:

• To gain community acceptance for sound housing developments

• Suited to intensification, non-profit, lower-end-of-market, and supportive housing

• Adaptable to a range of communities and neighbourhoods

• To help municipalities support good housing even if opposition persists


Definition

NIMBY, defined:

“The protectionist attitudes and exclusionary/

oppositional tactics used by community groups facing an

unwelcome development in their neighbourhood.”

CMHC, 2006.


NIMBY: ACT Cases

Charlottetown, PEI: King’s SquareManagement strategy for NIMBY opposition to homeless shelter, based

on study of attitudes

District of North VancouverAcceptance of secondary suites in single family zones, based on

demographic research

Toronto NUC-TUCT Non-Profit HousingResidents’ concerns addressed through innovative parking plan

Peel Region Housing Opportunity CentreEducation package on affordable housing, addressing residents’

perceptions, attitudes and worries


Strategies: Five Main Themes

NIMBY

Community Engagement/Communication

• Inform, listen, broaden the tent

Educational Tools• Education is a two-way street• Facts are handy

Monitoring & Implementation

• Ensure “delivery” as promised

• Monitor post-occupancy: the “lived-in” neighbourhood

Planning Tools• Comprehensive plans,

zoning, site plans etc.

Legislative Frameworks• Federal, provincial and municipal laws apply• Examples: Building Codes, Planning Acts, Human

Rights


Common Concerns the World Over


Common Concerns… and How to Respond

Our property values will go

down

Increasing density will cause too much traffic

Increasing density will strain public services

and infrastructure

The new residents won’t

“fit in”

Affordable housing (or higher density

housing) spoils the character of our neighbourhood

Affordable or higher density housing

means more crime in the

neighbourhood

Our neighbourhood already has its “fair share” of affordable housing


Common concerns…and how to respond

“People should not have to ask permission from anyone, including prospective

neighbours, before moving in just because of stereotypes…”

Report on consultation on human rights & rental housing in OntarioOntario Human Rights Commission, July 2008


Apply the Law: Legislative Frameworks

• Provincial/Federal/International Human Rights legislation

International convention on the right of housing is bound by principle of “non-discrimination”

• Provincial Planning Acts do not support “people zoning”

• However, discriminatory practices still exist


Good Practices: Legislative Frameworks

As a municipal official or politician, you can:

• Stress legal basis for allowing (unpopular) housing, noting zoning and Building Codes safeguard quality and good planning

• Where appropriate, cite provincial legislation requiring smart growth/higher density options

• Remind everyone that funding for non-profit housing limits number of economically feasible locations

• Be firm about complying with human rights legislation that prohibits discrimination

• Insist on respectful comments at public meetings -- zero tolerance for discriminatory remarks


Toronto’ s Zero Tolerance Policy

• In effect at public meetings

• Discriminatory comments will not be listened to

• Proclamation of individual’s fundamental right to housing without discrimination

“… this Committee is determined to fight NIMBY-ism whenever and wherever it arises. We will not allow ignorance or prejudice to block the right of individuals and families to live in affordable housing in

any corner of our great City.”

Councillor Mammoliti, Chair, Affordable Housing Committee


Open the Toolbox: Planning Tools

•Wide range of planning tools: Comprehensive and long-range plans to establish overall

growth patterns Comprehensive or site-specific zoning bylaws Site plans (or specific design controls)

•Choose the right tools to develop good housing – think about the housing developer, housing providerand future occupants as well as the neighbourhood


Good Practices: Planning Tools

• Create overall housing strategy

• Develop policy for affordable and/or supportive housing in all neighbourhoods

• Establish as-of-right zoning to permit a range of housing throughout

• Identify residential areas to permit as-of-right zoning for supportive, and higher density housing

• Integrate land use and infrastructure planning into comprehensive plans

• Set design guidelines for infill and intensification policies


Richmond Hill: Intensifying the Suburbs

Growth through intensification, to comply with Ontario Act

Use variety of means to communicate density, infill, intensification, links to transit, including 3-D modelling


Richmond Hill: Intensifying the Suburbs

Lessons Learned

• Emphasize transit as basis for intensifying

• Emphasize public realm and place-making instead of just buildings and density

• Maximize participation: inclusive, diverse

• Offer a range of formats, venues, including interactive website, on-line polling

• Connect to community history: remind everyone of the nature of change


Listen: Community Engagement

•Listening: “the Golden Rule of politics”

•One of the most common complaints: “I had no idea that this project was proposed”

•Challenge for municipalities = finding a voice (or proxy) for

future occupants of affordable or supportive housing

•A good communication strategy can be the first positive step to gaining community acceptance


Good Practices: Community Engagement

•Have a strategy: don’t “wing it”

•Take advantage of wide range of techniques, forums – direct and indirect

•Stress the positive

•Link to municipality’s vision and plans

•Be well prepared

•Establish rules of behaviour at meetings

•Identify champions

•Work collaboratively with the developer

•Develop media strategy

•Bring in experts to address concerns

•If particularly contentious, consider an advisory committee


Montréal: Saint-Eugène Seniors Residence

•156 low-income seniors apartments•New construction and adaptive re-use of church•Unanticipated objections arose: height, density,

traffic,loss of trees, materials•Montréal’s Housing Strategy and Charter used to: -Show need for 5000 social housing units -Remind that public meetings NOT required


Montréal Saint-Eugène Seniors Residence

Lessons Learned

•Do not underestimate nature or extent of community concern

•Do not assume seniors’ housing always supported

•Engage with community early on

•Listen to community and be prepared to adapt and compromise

•Address residents’ concerns: they might lead to better project (and

in this case, more units)


Learn: Education Tools

•Education is a two-way street

•Provide access to as much information as possible – levelthe field

•Provide opportunities to learn about planning in general, as

well as site-specific projects


Good Practices: Educational

•Prepare simple fact sheets for community meetings and media•Establish general education materials by:

-Working with developers and housing advocates -Engaging architects and designers to create catalogue of visuals -Drawing on local historical information

•Bring in subject experts (lawyers, engineers, foresters, etc.)•Go outside the “classroom” – organize site visits and tours


Ottawa Planning Primer

•Citizens learn about and get involved in planning processes

•Two core courses and two electives run by staff with outside experts, as needed

•Aim is to build strong relationships

between City and its neighbourhoods

•Teach skills to help residents participate in planning process


Ottawa Planning Primer

Lessons Learned

• Planning Primer is a “necessary” but not “necessarily sufficient” tool to broaden residents’ perspective beyond neighbourhood

• Municipalities can create educational opportunities in neutral, advocacy-free way

• Use planners and other experts to create professional atmosphere

• Emphasizing facts with the focus on “what” and “how” helps to level the field between citizens and experts

• Residents gain better appreciation of inter-connectedness of municipal decisions


Follow up: Implement and Monitor

• Monitor the impacts of individual developments -Have any of the community worries come to pass? -How have new residents fit in? How have they contributed to the neighbourhood?

• Keep track, monitor, develop inventory of good local examples

• Identify data and information easily collected and tracked

• Tie in with existing municipal monitoring programs

• Supplement technical info with visual or audio records

• Draw on local success stories in future controversial proposals

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housing in my backyard: a municipal guide for responding to nimby

Documents

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