Toronto city council voted nearly unanimously this morning to adopt an action plan for housing.

With the exception of Rob Ford, council passed a resolution that will address public housing issues.

Under the plan, the Toronto Affordable Housing Committee will allocate funds of nearly $196 million toward hundreds of social housing units that require urgent repairs, and also fund the building of new units to address the city’s annual $34 million capital funding shortfall.

Needed repairs range from fixing windows to overhauling entire balcony decks, which might cost upwards of $500,000.

Much of the money is expected to come from the provincial and federal governments as a part of stimulus funding for shovel-ready projects. In March, the provincial government announced its intention to match the $350 million already pledged by the federal government for capital repairs.

As reported by Toronto NewsFIX, the proposal was first endorsed last week by TAHC as part of a 10 year strategy to tackle housing issues that have plagued the city for years.

Committee chair Giorgio Mammoliti hoped that council’s decision to endorse the plan would be a sign of things to come.

“We’re making a difference,” the councillor for York West said. “Slowly, the flow of money is coming, and we’re getting rid of the old stereotypes that plague social housing.”

Ford disagreed with the proposal on the grounds it supports the funding of new housing units while existing structures are in urgent need of repair.

But, as Mammoliti and a number of councillors pointed out, the money to upgrade existing units, including a number in Ford’s own riding of Etobicoke North has already been earmarked for funding under the plan.

Susan Gapka from tenant activist group Save Our Structures sees the vote as an indication of council’s willingness to work on affordable housing issues, unlike in the past. But, Gapka said, securing funds from the provincial and federal governments remains a giant hurdle before repairs can begin.

“If we couldn’t get the money yesterday, let’s get it tomorrow,” she said.