Affordable Housing - A Human Basic Need

If you or someone you know lives in Toronto, housing and having affordable housing is part of the conversation. Have you ever wondered who affordable housing affects? I often hear affordable housing being spoken about in terms of socioeconomic factors.?While I do see the value in these conversations, I believe we can take it one step further and discuss what affordable housing means to vulnerable populations such as in the developmental services sector. As a provider of care for vulnerable individuals it is difficult—if not impossible—to discuss an individual's care without integrating housing into the conversation.

As the federal elections ramp up, affordable housing takes center stage as one of the hottest campaign issues and urgent concerns impacting Canadians coast-to-coast. As we prepare to vote and determine our future, I am taking the time to reflect on, and discuss what affordable housing means in developmental services, and the work we are doing at Safehaven to realize this inclusive vision.?

What does affordable housing mean?

According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Company (CMHC), housing that is “affordable” in Ontario is achieved when a household spends less than 30% of its pre-tax income on adequate shelter. If 50% or more of income is spent on shelter, this constitutes severe need.

Most people associate affordable housing with rentals subsidized by the government. However, what we need to understand is that affordable housing is a very broad term spanning the private, public, and non-profit sectors. As well, affordable housing is not limited to rentals: it includes ownership and co-operative ownership, as well as temporary and permanent housing. ?

National Housing Strategy

In November of 2017, Canada’s first ever National Housing Strategy was announced with the goal of ensuring Canadians across the country can access affordable housing that meets their needs. This is a 10-year strategy of $70 billion to create a new generation of housing in Canada. The strategy prioritizes the social services sector - including community housing with non-profit and co-operative housing providers, partnerships between governments and non-profits, and housing that exceeds mandatory requirements to affordability and accessibility.

Affordable housing in Developmental Services Sector

A good way to look at affordable housing in the Developmental Services sector is to refer to the hierarchy of needs. The first base is physiological needs, of which shelter is one. We know that housing contributes to positive health and social outcomes, especially for individuals with complex needs who require additional supports.

What is often left out of the conversation is inclusivity and diversity in the housing discussions, especially regarding supports for those with disabilities. Providing housing is not the same as simply building a home; rather, for persons with disabilities, this extends to a robust infrastructure of care and support that enables them to thrive.

Safehaven’s Affordable Housing Initiative

As a leader in the non-profit developmental services sector, Safehaven strives to empower individuals with disabilities and medical complexities to achieve their dreams, live independently, and belong in a community – from birth, all through to adulthood. We believe that communities are stronger when they embrace the most vulnerable members and ensure that they live, play, and thrive together.

Our future vision is a partnership with our community to build inclusive spaces that bring joy to and empower the vulnerable populations we care for. We are guided by inclusive design principles that increase functionality and positive social outcomes as part of a high-quality, family-centered care model that caters to more individuals, regardless of age, complexity, and income. In creating housing that truly belongs to everyone, we aim to partner with like-minded organizations that share our vision of creating an inclusive society.

Safehaven’s inclusive housing initiative will center around the concept of ‘reverse or mutual inclusion, which advocates and creates space for persons with disabilities while inviting other community members to integrate as residents, guests, employees, or partners. An integrated model will ensure our clients can access the benefits of independence and inclusion, social and economic benefits, and high-quality and integrated care in an environment that provides safety and security at a subsidized and affordable rate.

Affordable Housing: Government Platforms

With the Federal election around the corner, it is important for each of us to know where our leaders stand on affordable housing, and how they aim to address this critical need. Here is a quick overview of each party’s housing platform:

• Liberals: Increase funding of the National Housing Co-Investment Fund for a total of $2.7 billion over the next 4 years, allocated to helping affordable housing providers acquire property for building, as well as preserving existing units, extending the model of co-operative housing to new communities, and developing housing projects for particularly vulnerable groups, such as women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
• Conservatives: Enhance the viability of using Community Land Trusts for affordable housing by incentivizing corporations and private landowners to donate property to Land Trusts for the development of affordable housing.
• New Democrats: Create at least 500,00 units of quality, affordable housing in the next ten years, with half done within five years.
• People’s Party: Privatize the CMHC to address what they believe is inherent fueling of the housing crisis.
• Green Party: Redefine affordable housing, and reinvest in affordable, non-profit, co-operative and supportive housing.

It is interesting to see the different views of the issue and look forward to working with our future federal leaders in realizing genuinely affordable housing. Wherever you may stand, I invite you to reflect how we can achieve housing that truly protects and uplifts vulnerable populations by safeguarding this most basic, critical need. May we remember the power our ballots hold, so go out and vote.?