the affordable housing action network municipal elections 2010

The Affordable Housing Action Network

www.hastingshousing.com/ahanMUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 2010

Who Are We?

• A network of over 100 individuals • Representing over 40 agencies• Concerned with addressing the issues

of affordable housing and homelessness in and surrounding Hastings County

Founding Housing Working Group Agencies

Include• Community Advocacy & Legal Centre• Three Oaks Foundation - Women’s Shelter• Hastings County Social Services• Youth Habilitation• Hastings Housing Programs Branch• Canadian Mental Health Association• Hastings Housing Resource Centre

AHAN VisionAHAN believes that everyone has a right

to safe, secure and affordable housing

Core Housing Need

• Affordability – measured as the ability of households to spend less than 30 per cent of before-tax income on shelter

• Adequacy – measured as dwellings reported by their occupants as not in need of major physical repairs

• Suitability – measured as having enough bedrooms for the size and make up of the household

Something to think about…

• As of December 31st 2009, 1385 people remained on the waiting list for rent geared to income housing

• In 2009 Hastings County Social Services provided assistance for 1409 individuals who were homeless or at risk of being homeless due to a housing emergency situation

• In 2009, the Housing Programs Branch housed 108 applicants who had “urgent housing status”


• From April 2009 to March 2010 the Three

Oaks Foundation: Provided shelter for 107

women and 71 children in crises

• In 2009 the Community Advocacy &

Legal Centre provided 353 people with

duty counsel service at the Landlord & Tenant Board


In 2009 the Canadian Mental Health

Association (CMHA) provided shelter for

129 people through the transitional

homes for the homeless of which 26 were

children• 728 calls in search of emergency housing

could not be accommodated.


• In 2009 the Hastings Housing Resource Centre

(HHRC) assisted 1400 people on a one to one

basis, 93% of these clients were homeless or in critical need of housing

• 4873 clients registered on the HHRC website

in need of affordable housing in Hastings

County

NEW GEARED TO INCOME AND SUBSIDIZED HOUSING

2006 – 2010

• Hastings Housing Programs Branch:– 40 units created under the Canada-Ontario Affordable

Housing Program: Bancroft - 10, Belleville - 19, QW - 10; Tweed - 2

– 120 rent supplements under 2 programs– 61 households receiving down payment assistance

for home purchase

……..continued.....

NEW GEARED TO INCOME AND SUBSIDIZED HOUSING

2006 - 2010

• HHPB (continued)– 40 new units – 20 in Belleville, 20 in Trenton– Addition of 4 units to existing Marmora building– Renovation and retrofit money received to address

“adequacy” issues and improve efficiencies and safety

– new units for Bancroft (5), Coe Hill (4) and Deseronto (5) from social housing reserves

Transitional, Emergency Housing2006 - 2010

• 2006 - Our House Too

• 2008 - Casa Tres

• 2009 - Quinte West emergency housing units

• 2010 – All Together Affordable Homes opened Tom’s Place in Belleville

Housing Market Conditions

Affordability on Minimum Wage

Single• $10.25/hr x 37.5 hours = $1651 monthly gross• $811/$1651 = 49% of income

Double • $811/3302 = 25%

Single worker on minimum wage cannot afford to rent a 2 bedroom apartment in Quinte

Double income on minimum wage could pay $990 for shelter (mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities)

What Do We Believe?

• Homelessness,

precarious housing and

the lack of affordable

housing, requires a

community response

• Everyone needs to take

action and be part of the solution

What can municipal government do?

Lobby Federal and Provincial governments for long term sustainable funding for affordable housing programs

Look to expert reports, for example Federation of Canadian Municipalities for recommendations


• consider the need for affordable housing when reviewing local by laws, development charges policies

• Look to concepts such as Inclusionary Zoning to encourage or mandate the development of affordable housing in the context of new development

• Consider rezoning – for example commerical to multiresidential; increase density (R2 to R4


• Success story:

• Vital Services By Laws in Hastings County


• Encourage safe and secure rental housing by:

– Updating and enforcing property standards by laws and committing resources to ensuring minimum standards are met

– Enacting and using the established model of the Vital Services By Law

Our Purpose Today

• AHAN as a resource – to let you know who we are, who has the information in the community; to tell you of some of our efforts, such as participation in the provincial consultation on Affordable Housing Strategy

• AHAN as model – to encourage you to consider our for integrated approach to affordable housing: services, supports, protections, health, welfare, food security, income security

• AHAN seeking - a municipal champion for affordable housing issues

Questions

Visit our website at:

http://www.hastingshousing.com/ahan/

Resources

• http://www.fcm.ca

• http://www.povnet.org

• http://www.cmhc.ca

the affordable housing action network municipal elections 2010

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