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HomeMy WebLinkAboutADMIN 36-86 TOWN OF NEWCASTLE REPORT File # r Res. _A U— � � -•�`�� ' =-= By-Law # MEETING: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE DATE: MAY 5 1986 RE1'(RT #: ADMIN. 36 - 86 FILE #: SUBJECT: LOW RISE REHABILITATION PROGRAM - MINISTRY OF HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee- recommend to Council the following: 1 . That Administrator's report ADMIN. 36 - 86 be received for information. BACKGROUND AND COMMENT: In accordance with Council 's earlier direction, staff publicized the availability of the Low Rise Rehabilitation Program sponsored by the Ministry of Housing in local newspapers having general circulation throughout the area. The Town has received to date approximately twenty inquiries with respect to same and has estimated the participation rate at approximately sixty units. All necessary documents have been fowarded to Provincial Officials. Part of the submission gave the province administrative guidelines. These guidelines are in accordance with Section III of the Ministry program guidelines and answer the many questions that are outlined by that guideline. Staff at the Ministry of Housing will be considering the Town of Newcastle application along with numerous other municipalities during the month of May and it is hoped that shortly thereafter allocation announcements can be made and that the program can be initiated in earnest. ADMIN. 36 - 86 -2- In the meantime staff have provided to interested landlords a summary of the program and relevant sections of the Property Standards by-law. Staff will be meeting with interested landlords in the next two to three weeks to answer further questions regarding the program. Staff have attached a copy of the Administrative Guidelines that have been forwarded to the province in response to the provincial requirements. Respectfully submitted, David SJohnston, M.C.I .P. , Chief Administrative Officer att. DSJ:nof RESPONSE TO SECTION III , FIRST STEPS -- HOW TO GET INTO THE PROGRAM The Town of Newcastle Administrative Guidelines Property Maintenance and Occupancy By-Law. The Property Maintenance and Occupancy Standards By-Law has been adopted pursuant to the appropriate section of the Planning Act. It is currently administered directly by the Chief Building Official who will have overall responsibility for the Low-Rise Rehabilitation Program. However, by-laws will soon be enacted transferring the duties of the Property Standards Officer to the By-Law Enforcement Officer. However, the inspections on maintenance and occupancy with respect to structural aspects of buildings will still be conducted by the Chief Building Official. Given the predominant role of inspections under the Low-Rise Rehabilitation Program, it is felt that the Chief Building Official would be most suited to have overall responsibility of the program. With respect to the administration of the Property Standards by-law, staff respond on a written complaint basis. If a complaint is received by the Town, it is forwarded to the Property Standards Officer who investigates and initiates action in accordance with the Property Maintenance and Occupancy By-Law. Recently Council through the Mayor's office has initiated more rigorous enforcement of the Property Standards by-law on designated areas. The Town of Newcastle has been previously involved in provincial government programs including O.R.R.P. and R.R.A.P. Initially the Clerk of the municipality was responsible directly for the administration of these programs, however, in recent years the overall responsibility for participation and administration within these programs has been transferred to the Chief Building Official. As previously indicated, the Chief Building Official will have the co-ordinating role in the Town 's participation in the Low Rise Rehabilitation Program. i -2- The Town has not participated in the R.R.A.P. Program or the Conserve- a-Unit Research project. With respect to the administration of the program, the Town has already conducted to a certain degree preliminary screening of applicants. To date we have received approximately twenty inquiries. In each instance the details of the program have been explained. We have provided a summary of the landlord eligibility criteria, together with pertinent sections of our Property Standards By-Law, so that each participant may evaluate his or his particular needs as they relate to the program itself. Staff have been diligent to explain that this is not intended to upgrade standard units which would meet the Property Standards By-Law criteria, but rather a program to bring substandard units to an acceptable level of occupancy. It has further been explained that if a unit is to be funded, all improvements must be carried out that are identified by the Chief Building Official when an inspection is conducted. The Chief Building Official would be responsible for all inspections carried out, either directly or through one of the members of staff who is qualified to do such inspections. Initially, inquiries have been handled through the Chief Administrative Officer's office, however, as the first allocation is made, all responsibilities for inquiries would be handed over to the Chief Building Official . With respect to public information, steps were initially taken by the Town to advertise in local newspapers having general circulation throughout the Town to promote the program to see what interest existed throughout the community. By doing so we were able to identify an approximate number of units that should be allocated to the Town to meet the needs of the public. If the Town were successful in obtaining an allocation, further information would be distributed to landlords through articles in the newspaper. An attempt would also be made to involve the Business Improvement Areas within the Town as there are many apartments over commercial areas that would be candidates for improvement. -3- With respect to the question of an applicant who withdraws from the program after the properties have been inspected, it would be incumbent upon the municipality to issue a registered letter to the property owner indicating the nature of the deficiencies and requesting him to review the deficiencies listed and to make the appropriate repairs. From that point on the Town would again respond based on a written complaint basis. It is difficult to estimate the number of units the municipality would have at the final approval stages by March 15th 1987. This would largely depend on the date of the allocation to the Town. I would anticipate fifteen to twenty units could be totally rehabilitated by March 15th 1987. Another ten units would probably have first, second or third advances by March 15th 1987. Another five to ten might have final approval . The Chief Building Official would be responsible for the day to day administration of the program. However, the Treasury Department would be involved in the administrative aspects dealing between Provincial Officials and the Town, i .e. municipal administrative fees. The Clerk's office, through the By-Law Enforcement Officer, would be involved in sending out any letters associated with the results of the inspections. I I