The City of St. John’s is taking another step to support the development of affordable housing by launching its first Request for Proposals (RFP) under a new Land Disposition Program. The RFP invites qualified non-profit organizations, charities and development partnerships to submit proposals for the development of affordable housing on City-owned land at 23-31 Plymouth Road.

“Making more land available for affordable housing is one of the ways we can help address housing needs in our community,” said Mayor Danny Breen. “Through partnerships with non-profit housing providers, we can help create more housing options for residents while ensuring City-owned land is used to support long-term community needs.”

The Land Disposition Program is being developed through the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Action Plan. In March 2024, the City announced it had secured more than $10.4 million in federal funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund to help accelerate housing development and remove barriers to new housing construction. The Land Disposition Program is one of several initiatives underway through the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan.

“We're committed to working across governments to drive housing supply and bring housing costs down," said the Honourable Joanne Thompson. "This is one of the ways that federal housing money reaches the ground. The City already owns this land and it is now going to non-profit builders who will put homes on it, and the homes they build will stay affordable for the people who live in them."

The Plymouth Road property has been identified as a suitable location for affordable housing and is the first site being advanced through the program. Proposals will be evaluated on affordability outcomes, financial feasibility, organizational capacity, design quality, accessibility, sustainability and project readiness. The successful proponent will be expected to deliver housing that remains affordable over the long term while meeting City objectives related to accessibility, sustainability and community benefit.

A second City-owned property at 245 Forest Road has also been identified for the Land Disposition Program. Work is currently underway to rezone the site to support future affordable housing development opportunities.

The RFP is available through the City’s procurement portal. Interested proponents can access the documents and submit proposals through the City’s online bidding system. The deadline to apply is October 22, 2026, at 11 a.m.

To learn more about the City’s HAF initiatives, visit our Housing Accelerator Fund page.