WHEREAS Inn from the Cold (IFTC), located in the Town of Newmarket, is a long-standing service provider and provides services and programs for residents experiencing homelessness in York Region; and
WHEREAS IFTC is planning to build a new facility on land that it has purchased, and which includes a portion of land that has been provided by the Town of Newmarket at 17046 Yonge Street; and
WHEREAS the development will include 26 emergency housing beds and 18 transitional housing units which will provide additional capacity in York Region; and
WHEREAS this facility will provide specialized supports to residents that are living unsheltered and have a history of chronic homelessness; and
WHEREAS the matter is time sensitive because:
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- Capital support provided by York Region will strengthen the IFTC’s application to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Co-Investment Fund for approximately $6.5 million to supplement the total estimated capital budget of approximately $12 million
- Their current lease is expected to end in October 2024 and it is unknown, at this time, if the lease can be further extended
- Pending various expedited zoning/permit applications, IFTC is aiming to open in fall 2024 to ensure no gap between the potential end of the lease and availability of beds / loss of shelter capacity in the Region
- The development timeline requires that funding be confirmed as soon as possible; and
WHEREAS The Region’s Surplus Management Policy requires that any operating surplus be allocated to the target balances of the Region’s Working Capital Reserve, Contingent Liability Reserves, General Capital Reserve, Fuel Cost Stabilization Reserve, and the Debt Reduction Reserve.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
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- York Region provide $1 million in capital funding, to be drawn from the Social Housing Development Reserve, to IFTC to support the development of the new emergency and transitional housing facility targeting people who are chronically homeless.
- The approval of $1 million in capital funding to IFTC does not commit York Region to providing any additional capital or operating funding.
- The $1 million capital funding from York Region be contingent on the execution of a funding agreement between the Region and IFTC.
- Any 2022 operating surplus be first allocated, up to $1 million, to the Social Housing Development Reserve, before allocating any remaining surplus in accordance with the Region’s Surplus Management Policy.
A recorded vote was as follows:
For: Bevilacqua, DiPaola, Emmerson, Ferri, Grossi, Hackson, Hamilton, Heath, Jackson, Jones, Li, Lovatt, Mrakas, Pellegrini, Quirk, Rosati, Scarpitti, Taylor, Vegh, West (20)
Against: (0)
Absent: Perrelli (1)