Montreal is planning a new "100% affordable" housing development at the site of the former Hippodrome horse race track in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

The city will put a call out for housing non-profits to submit proposals for the development in September. It will then select the organization with the best application to move forward with construction.

The development will be near the intersections of rue Jean-Talon Ouest and avenue Clanranald, a few blocks from Namur metro station on the orange line.

The announcement marks a step toward the creation of the planned "écoquartier Namur-Hippodrome," a new neighbourhood on the grounds of the shuttered track that will eventually include as many as 6,000 homes, the city says. Of those, it promises a "significant share" will be social or affordable units.

The goal is for the neighbourhood to emphasize "carbon neutrality, sustainable mobility," "local services" and access to nature.

In a Facebook post, CDN-NDG Borough Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa added that Namur-Hippodrome will be "much more" than these lofty targets.

"It's a whole new living environment that we're going to build, with a metro station nearby, parks and schools for the children," she wrote.

"We're going to build a green and carbon-neutral neighbourhood, for today and for future generations! And that's really motivating!"