Affordable Housing Grant Program

The 2024-2025 Affordable Housing Grant Program is open for applications until December 2, 2024!

Application Form - Construction of new affordable housing
Application Form - Rehabilitation or renovation of existing affordable housing
Application Form - Acquire existing affordable housing
Application Form - Support for building condition assessments or pre-development studies

New this year: A pre-application meeting with staff is required. Send an email to request a meeting.

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About the Affordable Housing Grant

The Affordable Housing Grant Program is open to all registered non-profit or charitable organizations for costs associated with the development, renovation or purchase (including land) of affordable housing units. A complete overview of the program’s requirements and eligible work can be found in Regional Council’s Administrative Order.

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Affordable Housing Grant Recipients 2023-2024

The 2023-2024 Affordable Housing Grant Program allocated $6,305,444.31 to eight affordable housing projects in the Regional Centre, and $223,561 to two affordable housing projects outside the Regional Centre.

Inside the Regional Centre

• A YMCA Supportive Housing for Young Mothers project was awarded $28,936.22 for security enhancements to a 13-unit affordable apartment building in Dartmouth.

• An Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia project was awarded $502,434.98 for repairs and accessibility improvements to a 63-room shared housing use in Dartmouth.

• Another Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia project was awarded $49,438.11 for repairs to a 12-room shared housing use in Halifax.

• A Northwood Group of Companies project was awarded $74,635 for repairs to a 66-unit affordable apartment building in Halifax.

• A Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre project was awarded $1,350,000 for the construction of 27 affordable apartments in Halifax.

• The YWCA Home for Good project was awarded $3,350,000 for the construction of 67 affordable apartments in Dartmouth.

• A YWCA Mount Hope project was awarded $650,000 for the construction of 13 affordable townhouses in Dartmouth.

• A Dartmouth Non-Profit Housing Society project was awarded $300,000 for the purchase of an existing 6-unit apartment building in Dartmouth.

Outside the Regional Centre

• A YMCA Supportive Housing for Young Mothers project was awarded $23,561.47 for repairs to 6 affordable apartments in Halifax.

• A Chisholm Services for Children project was awarded $200,000 for the construction of two 4-room shared housing buildings (8 rooms in total) in Lower Sackville.

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Affordable Housing Grant Recipients 2022-2023

The 2022-2023 Affordable Housing Grant Program allocated $1,229,833.27 to seven affordable housing projects in the Regional Centre, and $200,000 to two affordable housing projects outside the Regional Centre.

Inside the Regional Centre

• A North End Community Health Association project was awarded $163,300 for repairs to a 12-room shared housing use in Dartmouth.

• An Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia project was awarded $24,610 for repairs and upgrades to a common bathroom in a shared housing use in Dartmouth.

• A Longhouse Housing Co-Operative Limited project was awarded $78,147.50 for roof repairs or replacement at 3 properties in Halifax.

• Another Longhouse Housing Co-Operative Limited project was awarded $190,784.77 for heating equipment upgrades at 7 properties in Halifax.

• An Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia project was awarded $472,991 for repairs to an 18-room shared housing use in Halifax, a 6-unit apartment building in Dartmouth, and a 12-unit apartment building in Dartmouth.

• A Nova Scotia Housing Trust project was awarded $300,000 for repairs to the roof and cladding on a 63-unit apartment building in Dartmouth.

Outside the Regional Centre

• A Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Halifax (Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth) project was awarded $68,138.65 for pre-development studies for a proposed affordable housing development in Spryfield.

• A Dartmouth Non-profit Housing Society (Dartmouth Housing) project was awarded $131,861.35 for the construction of a new 18-unit apartment building with 9 affordable apartments in Westphal.

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Affordable Housing Grant Recipients 2021-2022

Here are the successful applicants from the 2021-2022 Affordable Housing Grant Program:

• The Affirmative Ventures project was awarded $162,636 to contribute to the new development of a 45-unit residential dwelling with commercial/social enterprise space. The project is located in Dartmouth and will target seniors and residents facing mental health challenges.

• The Welcome Housing (Metro Non-Profit Housing Association)/YWCA project was awarded $180,327 for the renovation of a 4-unit building to provide affordable and supportive housing for mother-led families through the YWCA’s Supportive Housing for Young Mothers (SHYM) program. This project is located in Halifax.

• The Compass Nova Scotia project was awarded $472,282 to contribute to the new development of a 56-unit affordable co-op development. The project is located in Halifax and will target 50% of its units to residents in the following communities: women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, young adults, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, veterans, people dealing with mental health and addiction issues, LGBTQ2+, racialized groups, recent immigrants and people experiencing homelessness.

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Who is eligible?

The Affordable Housing Grant Program is eligible to registered non-profit or charitable organizations that have been incorporated for at least one year.

Partnerships between a registered non-profit/charitable organization and a private developer may be considered where there is an agreement for the transfer of ownership of the affordable housing, that are the subject of the grant, to the non-profit/charitable organization prior to occupancy.

When is the deadline?

We will accept applications to the 2024-2025 Affordable Housing Grant Program, between September 3 and December 2.

How do I apply?

To apply for this program, complete the appropriate application form from the list below, and email the required supporting documentation. When emailing the Grant team, be sure to include your project title and contact information.

Application Form - Construction of new affordable housing
Application Form - Rehabilitation or renovation of existing affordable housing
Application Form - Acquire existing affordable housing
Application Form - Support for building condition assessments or pre-development studies

How are applications prioritized?

Projects are prioritized based on criteria outlined in Section 25 of the Administrative Order. Considerations include:

- Application and eligibility for other funding programs;

- Aiming to serve a population at higher risk of being in Core Housing Need;

- Accessible design,

- Energy efficient design and components;

- Existing orders from the Municipality to rehabilitate or repair affordable housing;

- Demonstration of financial self-sustainability;

- Demonstration of resources and capacity to complete the project and support additional housing units;

- Applicants who have experience in successfully managing affordable housing;

- Balancing the allocation of money collected through incentive or bonus zoning throughout the Urban Service Boundary;

- Project affordability, including the depth of affordability, length of the affordability term, and the number of dwelling units or rooms that will be affordable;

- If the primary objective of rehabilitation or repairs is to improve accessibility;

- Acquisition where the purchase price is consistent with an independent property appraisal; and

- Pre-development studies, reports, or analyses that have been requested by staff of the municipality during a planning application process.

Common Questions

1. What is the Affordable Housing Grant Program (AHGP)?

The AHGP was created by HRM Regional Council to fund affordable housing within the Municipality. The Grant is controlled by Administrative Order Number 2020-008-ADM Respecting Grants for Affordable Housing, which was passed by HRM Regional Council on September 30, 2020. Funding sources for the program include Bonus Zoning as a public benefit from some developments, budgeted municipal operating funds, and funding through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund.

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2. The Administrative Order includes helpful definitions. Here are some definitions that may be useful when you are reading through these common questions:

Affordable Housing: Housing that meets the needs of a variety of households in the low to moderate-income range.

Deep Affordability: Dwelling units rented at a minimum of 40% below the average market rents for a dwelling unit of the same type and within the same Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Rental Market Survey Zone.

Non-Profit Organization: Refers to a

(i) society incorporated pursuant to the NS Societies Act;

(ii) non-profit association incorporated pursuant to the NS Co-Operative Associations Act;

(iii) not-for-profit incorporated pursuant to the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act;

(iv) non-profit organization otherwise incorporated pursuant to an Act of the Nova Scotia Legislature, or

(v) registered Canadian charitable organization.

Regional Centre Area: The Regional Centre Area shown on the most recent version of Schedule 1 of the Regional Centre Land Use By-law. ____________________________________________________________________

3. What kinds of affordable housing are eligible for the Grant?

Any type of affordable housing is potentially eligible, including shared housing uses, apartments, and low density residential.. Eligible affordable housing must be owned by a qualified Non-Profit Organization (NPO), as defined in the Administrative Order to be eligible for the Grant. ____________________________________________________________________

4. How many projects will be selected?
The number of projects selected will depend on the number and quality of applications received, and by the amounts being requested by the selected projects.

Note: The full requested amount may not be awarded to each applicant.

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5. At what stage of the development process does the Non-Profit Organization (NPO) have to own the property to be developed or repaired to be eligible for the Grant?
Prior to the Grant being disbursed to successful applicants, one of the following conditions must apply:

The subject property or units must be owned by one or more NPOs; or

For funds to be distributed prior to ownership by an NPO, a written agreement confirming that ownership of the affordable housing will be conveyed to an NPO prior to Occupancy is required

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6. What happens if the grant is awarded and paid but the development is not completed?
Successful applicants will be required to enter into a Contribution Agreement, which will include provisions that address potential changes to the development and what triggers will require the contribution to be returned to the municipality.

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7. Are there any requirements for the size of the affordable units or the number of bedrooms in the units being provided?
No. There are no requirements relating to the size of the units or the number of bedrooms to be eligible for the Affordable Housing Grant Program. However, proposed developments must meet all other Municipal requirements, including those in the applicable Land Use By-law and the Building Code.

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8. What costs are eligible for the Affordable Housing Grant?

The Affordable Housing Grant Program can provide funding for:

The development of new affordable housing (inclusive of design and construction costs);
The rehabilitation of existing affordable housing (inclusive of design and construction costs);
Property and building assessments;
The acquisition of buildings, housing units, or properties for affordable housing.

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9. What costs are ineligible for the Affordable Housing Grant?
According to the Administrative Order, the following costs are ineligible for the Affordable Housing Grant Program:

× Private sector construction of affordable housing, unless Section 8 of the AO applies;

× Rehabilitation of affordable housing that is not owned by a non-profit organization; and

× Operating expenses of the non-profit organization, including wages of employees of the non-profit organization, debt payment, or losses from a previous fiscal year.

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10. Where can I find the application form?

Application forms for the Affordable Housing Grant Program can be found below.

Applicants should use the same application form for projects within and outside the Regional Centre Area.

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11. What is the deadline for application?
The Administrative Order prescribes that AHGP applications open on September 1 and close on December 1.

The 2025 deadline will be Friday, December 2, 2024. The Affordable Housing Grant Program review team must receive all materials by this deadline. A pre-application meeting is also needed during this time.

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to municipal staff prior to the deadline if there are any outstanding questions. We are here to help!

Email the Grant team for additional information or to set up a meeting.

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12. Can two Non-Profit Organizations apply for the Grant in partnership with one another?
Yes. If all applicants are qualified Non-Profit Organizations, applications from a partnership will be considered.

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13. Are projects funded by the Grant required to be completed in 2025?
No, there is no requirement that funded projects be completed in 2025.
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14. Is the Affordable Housing Grant Program a partnership with the Province or is it solely an HRM initiative?
The Affordable Housing Grant Program is an HRM initiative. However, projects that also qualify for funding from Housing Nova Scotia or the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will be given priority.

Have questions about the Affordable Housing Grant Program? Send us an email.