The Affordable Housing Action The Affordable Housing Action NetworkNetwork

Presentation to the Hastings/Quinte Presentation to the Hastings/Quinte Social Services CommitteeSocial Services Committee

July 13, 2005July 13, 2005

Affordable Housing Action Network Affordable Housing Action Network (AHAN)(AHAN)

Who We AreWho We Are What We DoWhat We Do Boxed-In ReportBoxed-In Report Affordable Housing Crisis in Hastings CountyAffordable Housing Crisis in Hastings County Costs of a Lack of Affordable HousingCosts of a Lack of Affordable Housing Value of Affordable HousingValue of Affordable Housing Recent Provincial and Federal AnnouncementsRecent Provincial and Federal Announcements Role of AHANRole of AHAN ConclusionConclusion

Affordable Housing Action Network Affordable Housing Action Network (AHAN): Goal(AHAN): Goal

To create more affordable housing options To create more affordable housing options for people who are precariously housed or for people who are precariously housed or homeless using a variety of approaches homeless using a variety of approaches including collaborative networking, including collaborative networking, housing development, capacity building housing development, capacity building and advocacyand advocacy

Affordable Housing Action Network: Affordable Housing Action Network: Who Are We?Who Are We?

AHAN created from Hastings County’s AHAN created from Hastings County’s Homelessness Advisory Committee, Housing Homelessness Advisory Committee, Housing Working Group and other similar groupsWorking Group and other similar groups Illustrated the needIllustrated the need Unique groupUnique group Common vision and desire of the community to Common vision and desire of the community to

work togetherwork together

AHAN helped develop the “Boxed-In” reportAHAN helped develop the “Boxed-In” report

AHAN: Who Are We?AHAN: Who Are We? A group of local agencies, organizations and individuals who have a common A group of local agencies, organizations and individuals who have a common

community interest in creating more affordable housing in Hastings Countycommunity interest in creating more affordable housing in Hastings County Includes representatives from more than 15 agencies, organizations and individuals, Includes representatives from more than 15 agencies, organizations and individuals,

including:including: Three Oaks Shelter and Services for Abused WomenThree Oaks Shelter and Services for Abused Women Community Advocacy & Legal Centre (Formerly Legal Services)Community Advocacy & Legal Centre (Formerly Legal Services) Hastings Housing Resource CentreHastings Housing Resource Centre Canadian Mental Health AssociationCanadian Mental Health Association Hastings & Prince Edward Health UnitHastings & Prince Edward Health Unit Mental Health ServicesMental Health Services Community VisionsCommunity Visions Youth HabilitationYouth Habilitation Hastings County’s Social Services DepartmentHastings County’s Social Services Department Victorian Order of NursesVictorian Order of Nurses Ontario Secondary School Teacher’s FederationOntario Secondary School Teacher’s Federation Quinte Labour CouncilQuinte Labour Council Private Citizens and LandlordsPrivate Citizens and Landlords

Lack of affordable housing affects all of these agencies, organizations and people Lack of affordable housing affects all of these agencies, organizations and people and the people they serveand the people they serve

AHAN: What Do We Do?AHAN: What Do We Do?

Bring the community togetherBring the community together Involve the community as broadly as possibleInvolve the community as broadly as possible Ensure current local resources are efficiently Ensure current local resources are efficiently

and effectively usedand effectively used Improve service coordinationImprove service coordination Encourage collaborationEncourage collaboration Create new affordable and innovative housing Create new affordable and innovative housing

optionsoptions

Boxed-In Report: HighlightsBoxed-In Report: Highlights

Interviewed 781 householdsInterviewed 781 households Homeless, at risk of being homeless, precariously Homeless, at risk of being homeless, precariously

housedhoused Low income householdsLow income households

107 households self-identified as homeless (293 107 households self-identified as homeless (293 people)people)

Main reasons:Main reasons: Affordability of housingAffordability of housing Loss of job or unemploymentLoss of job or unemployment Marital/relationship breakdownMarital/relationship breakdown Conflict or differences within householdsConflict or differences within households

Boxed-In Report: HighlightsBoxed-In Report: Highlights

Survey respondents asked to rank prioritiesSurvey respondents asked to rank priorities #1 Priority: Create more subsidized or rent #1 Priority: Create more subsidized or rent

geared-to-income housinggeared-to-income housing More than one-third of respondents had been More than one-third of respondents had been

homeless within the past three yearshomeless within the past three years 70% of respondents reported that their current 70% of respondents reported that their current

housing had one or more disrepair issueshousing had one or more disrepair issues Quote:Quote: “Rent is too high for people to live. Pay “Rent is too high for people to live. Pay

rent and don’t eat or eat and don’t pay rent”rent and don’t eat or eat and don’t pay rent”

Affordable Housing Crisis in Affordable Housing Crisis in Hastings CountyHastings County

2004 in Hastings County (after hours service):2004 in Hastings County (after hours service): 396 households provided with emergency shelter396 households provided with emergency shelter Over 1,100 peopleOver 1,100 people 388 obtained permanent housing388 obtained permanent housing 315 retained permanent housing315 retained permanent housing 852 nights accommodation852 nights accommodation Average of 1.7 nights per stay Average of 1.7 nights per stay Represents about 1/3 of the people Hastings County’s Represents about 1/3 of the people Hastings County’s

Social Services Dept. helpsSocial Services Dept. helps

Affordable Housing Crisis in Affordable Housing Crisis in Hastings CountyHastings County

1,100 households waiting for subsidized housing in 1,100 households waiting for subsidized housing in Hastings CountyHastings County A single person will wait four years to get subsidized housingA single person will wait four years to get subsidized housing Only about 25% of these households receive OW or ODSPOnly about 25% of these households receive OW or ODSP

Hastings Housing Resource Centre: increase from 2,695 Hastings Housing Resource Centre: increase from 2,695 clients annually in 2000 to 8,097 in 2004clients annually in 2000 to 8,097 in 2004

Over 100 households surveyed were homelessOver 100 households surveyed were homeless Ontario Works Emergency Worker in Belleville: about 30 Ontario Works Emergency Worker in Belleville: about 30

households each week in an emergency situation – does households each week in an emergency situation – does not include households already receiving Ontario Works not include households already receiving Ontario Works benefitsbenefits

Conclusion: There is an affordable housing crisis in Conclusion: There is an affordable housing crisis in Hastings CountyHastings County

Costs of a Lack of Affordable Costs of a Lack of Affordable HousingHousing

One homeless person costs about One homeless person costs about $60,000/year$60,000/year Emergency funds Emergency funds Health careHealth care PolicingPolicing Use of resourcesUse of resources

Unknown costs – stress on homeless and Unknown costs – stress on homeless and on their families, recovery from substance on their families, recovery from substance abuse, criminalization, mental health abuse, criminalization, mental health

Value of Affordable HousingValue of Affordable Housing

Reduced emergency services spendingReduced emergency services spending Resources go to permanent, proactive solutions Resources go to permanent, proactive solutions

instead of temporary, reactive band-aidsinstead of temporary, reactive band-aids

Strengthens the communityStrengthens the community Provides stability for familiesProvides stability for families Increases employment opportunitiesIncreases employment opportunities Promotes health in childrenPromotes health in children Allows people to become hard working, tax Allows people to become hard working, tax

paying citizenspaying citizens

Recent Provincial and Federal Recent Provincial and Federal AnnouncementsAnnouncements

$602 Million for affordable housing $602 Million for affordable housing initiatives across the provinceinitiatives across the province

Housing allowances – similar to Rent Housing allowances – similar to Rent Supplement ProgramSupplement Program

Creating new affordable housing units Creating new affordable housing units Build newBuild new Renovations of existing buildingsRenovations of existing buildings

Home ownership programHome ownership program

Recent Provincial and Federal Recent Provincial and Federal AnnouncementsAnnouncements

$1.6 Billion in federal funding for affordable $1.6 Billion in federal funding for affordable housing in the next two yearshousing in the next two years

All of this funding will flow through Hastings All of this funding will flow through Hastings County, the Service ManagerCounty, the Service Manager

Service Managers must apply to get this fundingService Managers must apply to get this funding All three levels of government need to be All three levels of government need to be

committed to improving affordable housing committed to improving affordable housing optionsoptions

Hastings County needs to commit to get as much Hastings County needs to commit to get as much funding for affordable housing as possiblefunding for affordable housing as possible

AHAN’s RoleAHAN’s Role

We are a community group reflecting the needs of the We are a community group reflecting the needs of the communitycommunity

We are committed to taking actionWe are committed to taking action We are committed to providing accountability We are committed to providing accountability We are available to help Hastings County any way we We are available to help Hastings County any way we

can to improve affordable housing optionscan to improve affordable housing options We can assist with determining locations for new We can assist with determining locations for new

affordable housing, getting people organized and affordable housing, getting people organized and implementationimplementation

AHAN has the capacity, ability and resources to improve AHAN has the capacity, ability and resources to improve affordable housing options affordable housing options

ConclusionConclusion

There is an affordable housing crisis in Hastings There is an affordable housing crisis in Hastings CountyCounty

Over 1,100 households waiting for subsidized Over 1,100 households waiting for subsidized housinghousing

Over 100 households surveyed were homelessOver 100 households surveyed were homeless No new affordable housing has been built for 10 No new affordable housing has been built for 10

yearsyears Affordable Housing Action Network is organized Affordable Housing Action Network is organized

and readyand ready Hastings County needs to participateHastings County needs to participate