GDS-016 - Housing Accelerator Fund Grant Program Policy_2024
Title: HAF Grant Program Policy
Subject: Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Grant Category: Growth and Community Services
Program Policy
Policy No.: GDS-016 M&C Report No.: 2024-281
Effective Date: 2024-10-28 Next Review Date: 2027
Area(s) this policy applies to: Growth and Community Office Responsible for review of this Policy:
Services
Community Planning and Housing, Growth and
Community Services
Related Instruments: Policy Sponsors:
M&C 2021-343 Urban Development Incentives Policy Commissioner of Growth and Community Services
Amendment
M&C No 2023-289 City of Saint John Housing
Accelerator Fund 2024-2026 Action Plan
Document Pages:
This document consists of 11 pages.
Revision History:
Common Clerk's Annotation for Official Record
Date of Passage of Current Framework: __October 28, 2024__________
I certify that this Policy (Statement) was adopted by Common Council as
indicated above.
______ _October 29, 2024___
Common Clerk Date
Date Created: Common Council Approval Date: Contact:
Growth and Community Services
2024-10-28 2024-10-28
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Contents
1. Policy Statement .............................................................................................................................. 3
2. Definitions ....................................................................................................................................... 4
3. Construction Challenges Grant ......................................................................................................... 5
3.1 Purpose ..................................................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Grant Description ....................................................................................................................... 5
3.3 Eligibility .................................................................................................................................... 5
3.4 Eligible Expenditures .................................................................................................................. 5
4. Missing Middle Housing Grant ......................................................................................................... 6
4.1 Purpose ..................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Grant Description ....................................................................................................................... 6
4.3 Eligibility .................................................................................................................................... 6
5. Revitalizing Rental Stock Grant......................................................................................................... 7
5.1 Purpose ..................................................................................................................................... 7
5.2 Grant Description ....................................................................................................................... 7
5.3 Eligibility .................................................................................................................................... 7
5.4 Eligible Expenses ........................................................................................................................ 7
6. Grant Evaluation Criteria .................................................................................................................. 8
6.1 Grant Committee ....................................................................................................................... 8
6.2 Evaluation .................................................................................................................................. 8
7. Application Requirements ................................................................................................................ 9
8. Disbursement of Grant Funds ........................................................................................................ 10
9. Outcomes Report ........................................................................................................................... 11
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Housing Accelerator Fund Grant Program Policy
1. Policy Statement
1.1 The purpose of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Grant Program is to incentivize the creation of
housing supply within fully serviced areas of the city in conjunction with the priorities and targets
set out in the City’s 2024-2026 HAF Action Plan.
Priorities
1. Support the development of complete communities that are walkable, consisting of
appropriate residential density and a diverse mix of land uses, providing access to a
wide variety of amenities and services through public and active transportation.
2. Support the development of affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse
communities that encourage clear pathways to achieving greater socio-economic
inclusion largely achieved through the equitable provision of housing across the
entire housing spectrum.
3. Support the development of low-carbon and climate-resilient communities.
Targets
1,124 new permitted units before the end of 2026
o 15% Missing Middle Housing Forms
o 71% Multi-Unit
o 14% Other
o 9% Affordable Housing Units
1.2 To this end, the Program includes three grant funding streams:
- Construction Challenges Grant
- Missing Middle Housing Grant
- Renovation of older housing stock into affordable units, or rehabilitation of vacant buildings
by non-profit organizations
1.3 The Grant Program aims to ensure fiscal responsibility and public transparency of all grant funding
while balancing the constraints on how funding may be used.
1.4 Equitable distribution of grant funding to achieve the above goals will be considered. In addition,
where an applicant submits more than one application for the same grant stream in a year,
additional applications will only be considered subject to available funding.
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2. Definitions
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU): Secondary, self-contained living unit located on the same lot as a
primary residential building. ADUs can be attached to the main house, such as a basement or garage
apartment (secondary suite), or detached, like a separate small house (garden suite).
Commissioner of Growth and Community Services: Commissioner of Growth and Community Services
or his/her delegate.
Complete Communities: Communities that meet people’s needs for daily living throughout an entire
lifetime by providing convenient access to an appropriate mix of jobs, local services, a full range of
housing, and community infrastructure including affordable housing, schools, recreation and open space
for their residents. Convenient access to public transit and active transportation is also provided.
Construction Challenges: As defined at section 3.4 herein, or any other circumstances as approved, in
writing, by the Commissioner of Growth and Community Services.
Developed land per unit: Refers to the amount of land that has been prepared and made ready for
construction or use, divided by the number of units (such as houses or apartments) that will be built on
it. Essentially, it measures the density of development in a given area.
Gross Floor Area (GFA): GFA means the total of all floor areas of a building or structure above and below
grade measured between the exterior faces of the exterior walls of the building at each floor level, but
does not include any area designed for parking.
Institutional/Commercial Use: Refers to land or property designated for non-residential purposes,
including uses such as schools, hospitals, government buildings or retail stores, offices, and restaurants.
These uses cover Commercial and Community Facility Uses in the City of Saint John Zoning By-law.
Intensification Areas: The areas within the Municipal Plan identified as the primary places for growth to
proceed as shown on the City Structure Map, Schedule A.
Missing Middle Housing: Multi-unit housing characterized as missing middle refers to ground-oriented
housing types that exist between single-detached and mid-rise apartments. This includes garden suites,
secondary suites, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, row houses, courtyard housing, and low-rise
apartments less than 4 storeys.
Modular Housing: A type of prefabricated housing that is constructed in sections or modules in a factory
setting and then transported to the site for assembly.
Primary Development Area: The area generally corresponding to that portion of the City served by
municipal water, municipal sanitary sewer, and municipal storm sewer as defined by the Municipal
Development Plan and shown on the Future Land Use Map, Schedule B.
Purpose-Built Rental: A residential building specifically designed and constructed to be rented out as
long-term rental housing, often at least 20 years.
Stacked Townhouse: A type of townhouse where individual units are stacked vertically rather than
spread out horizontally. Each unit has its own separate entrance, but the buildings are multi-story, with
units positioned above and below one another.
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3. Construction Challenges Grant
3.1 Purpose
To support new construction that might not be achieved through normal market forces by
addressing known construction challenges, such as rock breaking, specific to Saint John.
To incentivize developments, with particular emphasis on purpose-built rentals, located in areas
where servicing capacity already exists and which have the potential to foster complete
communities.
3.2 Grant Description
a) The Construction Challenges Grant may provide up to 50% of the cost of eligible Construction
Challenges to a maximum of $10,000 per unit up to 15 units.
3.3 Eligibility
a) The development must be located within the Primary Development Area in accordance with
Schedule B of the Municipal Plan and connect to municipal water and sanitary services.
b) The application must propose the creation of a minimum of 5 new residential units.
c) The development must incur at least $200,000 in eligible Construction Challenges in Part 3.4.
d) The development must be a minimum of 2 storeys in height.
e) The development must comply with the Municipal Plan and Zoning By-law at the time of
application.
f) The applicant must be the registered owner, acting on behalf of the registered owner with
written permission, or provide proof of an option agreement or purchase and sale agreement of
the property.
g) Construction Challenges must be evidenced by a professional invoice/quote, or a cost to
construct budget approved by a professional architect, engineer, project accountant, or any
other documentation requested by the City at the time of application.
3.4 Eligible Expenditures
a) Eligible Construction Challenges include any of the following:
Breaking and removal of rock outcrops and importation of fill as part of necessary site
preparation to emplace the building, site amenities, and/or services
Pile-driving
Remediation of contaminated soils
Costs associated with the remediation or demolition of a former Institutional/Commercial
use that has been vacant for over one year
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4. Missing Middle Housing Grant
4.1 Purpose
To incentivize the construction of missing middle housing forms that are more inherently
sustainable and affordable through smaller lots and denser developments that make efficient
use of land.
A top up grant is also available to help incentivize the use of modular housing construction and
Accessory Dwelling Units.
4.2 Grant Description
a) The Missing Middle Housing Grant provides $5,000 per eligible unit.
b) A top up Grant provides $2,500, in addition to the Missing Middle Housing Grant, per unit if the
development is Modular Housing or an Accessory Dwelling Unit.
c) The total Grant provides no more than $150,000 per application.
4.3 Eligibility
a) The development must be located within the Primary Development Area in accordance with
Schedule B of the Municipal Plan and connect to city water and sewer services.
b) The development must consist of one or more of the following uses, as defined by the Zoning
By-law or this Policy:
Accessory Dwelling Unit
Dwelling, Semi-detached, with an Accessory Dwelling Unit
2 2
Dwelling, Townhouse, with a maximum GFA of 1,200 ft (111 m) or less per unit
2 2
Dwelling, Cluster Townhouse, with a maximum GFA of 1,200 ft (111 m) or less per unit
2
Stacked Townhouse, with less than 175 m of developed land per unit
Multi-unit dwelling 3 storeys or lower, up to a maximum of 18 units per building, with less
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than 100 m of developed land per unit
c) The application must propose the creation of a minimum of 4 new residential units, unless
otherwise authorized by written consent of the Commissioner of Growth and Community
Services.
d) Notwithstanding 4.3.(c), an application to create one new Accessory Dwelling Unit will also be
considered.
e) The development must comply with the Municipal Plan and Zoning By-law at the time of
application and if applicable, received tentative subdivision plan approval.
f) The applicant must be the registered owner, acting on behalf of the registered owner with
written permission, or provide proof of an option agreement or purchase and sale agreement of
the property.
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5. Revitalizing Rental Stock Grant
5.1 Purpose
To incentivize the revitalization of existing rental stock and retention of such stock at greater
levels of affordability than would otherwise be contemplated.
5.2 Grant Description
a) The Revitalizing Rental Stock grant provides $10,000 per unit, in addition to 100% of the cost of
building permit fees up to a maximum of $50,000 per application.
5.3 Eligibility
a) The redevelopment must be located within the Primary Development Area in accordance with
Schedule B of the Municipal Plan and connect to city water and sewer services.
b) The redevelopment meets one of the following sub-stream criteria:
i. Rental Rehabilitation Assistance Program
The redevelopment must provide proof of support of their application through Housing
New Brunswick’s Rental Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP).
ii. Vacant Building Redevelopment
I. The applicant must be a registered non-profit organization;
II. The building must have been vacant for a minimum period of one year;
III. The applicant must receive written approval from the Commissioner of Growth
and Community Services based on addendums to the application including
targeted rents; and the information pertaining to the applicant’s experience and
track record; and,
IV. The redevelopment must propose the creation or addition of at least one net
new residential unit to the building, as confirmed by Real Property information
obtained through Service New Brunswick.
c) The development must incur at least $200,000 in eligible expenditures in Part 5.4.
d) The project must be evidenced by a professional invoice/quote, or a cost to construct budget
approved by a professional architect, engineer, or project accountant at the time of application.
e) The development must comply with the Municipal Plan and Zoning By-law at the time of
application.
f) The applicant must be the registered owner, acting on behalf of the registered owner with
written permission, or provide proof of an option agreement or purchase and sale agreement of
the property.
g) The Revitalizing Rental Stock Grant cannot be stacked with another Grant Stream within this
Program.
5.4 Eligible Expenses
a) Eligible expenditures are any soft costs related to building permit fees and any hard construction
costs associated with the renovation of the building, excluding appliances and furnishings.
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6. Grant Evaluation Criteria
6.1 Grant Committee
a) Applications will be reviewed by a Grant Committee appointed by the Commissioner of Growth
and Community Services.
b) Funding will be committed in the order of the projects that score the highest number of points
according to Part 6.2 in the form of a letter of conditional approval.
c) Applications that receive conditional approval may be invited by the Committee to submit
additional documentation to support their application, including financial statements of the
organization, correspondence from other funding partners, and additional quotes or invoices.
6.2 Evaluation
a) Grant applications will be received throughout the year and reviewed by the Grant Committee
at quarterly intakes, or through a Grant Committee meeting scheduled at the discretion of the
Commissioner of Growth and Community Services, based on volume of applications received.
b) Grant intake may pause or cease to occur at the discretion of the Commissioner of Growth
and Community Services, based on available HAF funds.
c) Each application will be scored by the Grant Committee in accordance with the Score Card
below and awarded in the order of the highest score per intake.
i. A minimum score of 55 points is required to receive approval for any HAF grant.
ii. A project will be disqualified if the applicant’s timeline (2.a) is scored 0 by the
Committee.
1. The Project - Alignment with the HAF Grant Program’s Priorities and Targets 55
a) Project’s contribution toward HAF housing targets (e.g. overall number of units proposed, subtargets). 15
b) Project’s location and contribution towards complete communities (e.g. within 800 m or closer to an 15
Intensification Area or adjacent to a Corridor as defined by the Municipal Plan).
c) Project incorporates a portion of affordable units (e.g. MLI Select or other CMHC program). 10
d) Project maximizes efficient use of land and existing city services (water, sewer, storm, street). 15
2. The Applicant’s Timeline, Capability, and Need 35
a) The applicant’s project timeline is achievable within the constraints of the HAF funding timeline. 15
b) The applicant demonstrates a track record of similar scale developments. 15
c) The applicant is in good standing with the City and demonstrates a need. The Committee will consider 15
equitable distribution of grants if more than 1 grant application is submitted by the same applicant in 1
year.
3. Project Innovation - Energy Efficiency, Accessibility, Amenity Space, and Other 10
a) Project is mixed-use, meets or exceeds 2017 National Energy Code requirements or Provincial 5
accessibility requirements (e.g. more than 1 barrier free unit per 4 units, universal design), or exceeds
Zoning By-law amenity space requirements (e.g. Landscaping or shared community space).
b) Project employs other innovative practice to advance the commercial real estate/construction 5
industry (e.g. sustainable building practices, climate resiliency, affordable housing initiatives).
Total 100
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7. Application Requirements
a) An application for a grant under this Policy shall include the following:
i. A completed application in the form as attached in Schedule A to this Policy;
ii. A site plan and/or drawings showing floor plans and building elevations;
iii. A project schedule indicating the following key milestones:
- Project start date
- Anticipated date of building permit or date that building permit was
submitted and building permit number
- Estimated date of completion of foundation or pre-drywall inspection
- Estimated date of project completion;
iv. Legal names of the property owner and applicant. If an applicant is acting on
behalf of the owner, property authorization from the owner of the property
v. Construction cost estimates; and,
vi. Evidenced Construction Challenges cost estimates, where applicable.
b) The applicant must submit a complete building permit application within six months of the
application, or a date alternatively determined by the Grant Committee, otherwise the grant will
be withdrawn.
c) An application will not be considered if work has commenced prior to the date of an application,
with commencement defined as the pouring of foundation under the building permit for new
construction and any work other than demolition under the building permit for an existing
building.
d) An application will not be considered where a building permit for the majority of the work (e.g.
multi-phase development) has already been issued prior to the adoption by Common Council of
this policy, unless approved explicitly in writing by the Commissioner of Growth and Community
Services.
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8. Disbursement of Grant Funds
a) No grant funds will be disbursed to successful applicants until the following occurs:
i. The Grant Committee has issued a conditional approval letter to the applicant
confirming their decision.
ii. The successful applicant has entered into a Grant Agreement with the City.
iii. The successful applicant has been issued a building permit by the City.
Substantial revisions to the building permit submission attached to the
application form, including but not limited to the reduction in number of units,
may void the application or require the application be resubmitted.
iv. The applicable project milestone(s) is completed as indicated:
Grant Required Milestone Exception
Stream
Construction The development has Where the eligible construction
Challenge received approval of the challenge consists of the remediation
Grant foundation inspection under of a former institutional/commercial
the approved building use, the development has been fully
permit. completed and issued a certificate of
successful completion under the
approved building permit.
Missing The development has Where the eligible use consists of an
Middle received approval of the Accessory Dwelling Unit, the
Housing foundation inspection under development has been deemed to be
Grant the approved building completed based upon a final
permit. inspection by the City.
Revitalizing The development has been
Rental Stock fully completed and issued a
Grant certificate of successful
completion under the
approved building permit.
v. If a development does not reach all required project milestones under this
st
policy prior to April 1, 2027, the City will withdraw the grant unless the
applicant receives written approval from the Commissioner of Growth and
Community Services.
b) Any grant funding will be dependent upon the following:
i. Number of applications received and availability of funding for HAF, and,
ii. The city receiving federal funding for HAF. Despite approval of an application,
planned disbursement of funds may be cancelled by the Commissioner of
Growth and Community Services at any time based on availability of HAF
funding.
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iii. The City will periodically confirm building permit progress. If no progress is
demonstrated on the building permit within 6 months of the issuance of a
building permit and the Commissioner of Growth and Community Services
determines the project is at risk of incompletion, the grant will be withdrawn.
9. Outcomes Report
a) Funding recipients will be required to submit an outcomes report outlining how the funds
were used in accordance with this Program. These reports will be made publicly available.
b) The City reserves the right to request additional information or explanation of such reports.
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