Paramount to this is building complete communities. This isn't sacrificing one thing for the delivery of affordability. Affordability needs to be in the lexicon of every new development. It needs to be understood that it is a pressing need, but it is also the right response for every community to accommodate the needs of every single resident.
As I mentioned, the federal government has had a number of funding envelopes that have actually supported the delivery of housing units in various elements of our housing spectrum. My understanding of the housing accelerator fund is that it isn't necessarily focused on deep affordability, but rather on supply. However, similar to previous comments today, we can target that supply so we're actually addressing local housing needs.
As I mentioned, rental housing is one of the key pieces in Hamilton. We've struggled to build new rental housing. The market is not strong, so any fund that can support the offsetting of those long-term costs of building rental tenure in Hamilton would be a significant step forward in addressing some of that.
The other piece is the operating side. We have a rich number of housing providers who deliver affordable housing. Engaging them in the discussion and understanding what the needs are from an operating perspective and a pro forma perspective will allow us to get meaningful rental in the right locations, at the right household composition, and delivered to those families in most need of sustainability.
Beyond just the direct financial tools the city is offering in terms of development charges and parkland dedication dispensations, I think you've picked up on a number of those planning-related pieces too. Parking is one. Often the requirement for over-provision of parking is a barrier to rental and affordable housing. We have to look at how we build in mixed incomes. How do we build a building that can appeal to those of lower economic means, remove stigma from affordability, and also build a complete community within the towers themselves? We have to stop looking at neighbourhoods as individual units, and start looking at them as buildings that are organic and delivering key messages throughout the city.