You can help every Calgarian find a home

To coincide with National Housing Day, I co-wrote the following article in the Calgary Herald. We need to continue to work hard at ending homelessness in our great city. If our fellow citizens can not afford to buy or rent a home or are plagued by poverty, we are all lesser.

Calgary is a vibrant and prospering city, playing a key role in the economic strength and social health of our province and the nation as a whole. And yet, amidst this prosperity, housing is out of reach for some. In a count done the night of Aug. 15, more than 3,500 people were homeless in Calgary. And migration to Calgary is driving the need for homeless shelter spaces up, with as many as 250 additional beds needed this winter.

Although our city is ranked as one of Canada’s most affordable big cities, this measure is relative. Not everyone can generate the income to buy a home, with prices averaging well over $400,000. Rent is equally challenging, with a one-bedroom apartment in Calgary priced at around $1,000 per month and the vacancy rate hovering at around two per cent.

In the first three months of this year, more than 14,000 people from outside of Alberta came to the province looking for work — many of those to Calgary. It’s important they have access to the quality of life that makes Calgary such an appealing place to live and work, including suitable shelter, where their families can live in comfort, safety and pride.

One recent survey suggests Canadians don’t fully realize the urgent need for affordable housing. An estimated 1.5 million Canadian families live in “core housing need,” yet only 11 per cent of Canadians think of affordable housing as an issue in their neighbourhood. A study done by the U of C’s faculty of social work found that about 14,000 rental households in Calgary are at high risk of becoming homeless because more than half of their income goes to rent and they make less than $20,000 per year.

Lack of affordable housing can cause increased stress, limited sense of belonging and overall feelings of insecurity. It can also hinder an individual’s education and career paths, which further perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Poverty and homelessness are also expensive for Alberta taxpayers. Simply managing poverty will cost the government of Alberta up to $9.5 billion per year in public services, like health care, in crime, and in lost economic opportunities for children and people living in poverty, according to a study by A. Briggs and C.R. Lee done this year.

Affordable housing leads to healthier and more productive communities. Areas of health, education and financial and emotional well-being are improved. Good housing attracts economic investment, and contributes to thriving schools and community organizations.

The City of Calgary and other organizations are finding ways to close the gap, even as the city grows. The 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness, a partnership between the Calgary Homeless Foundation and the Calgary Action Committee on Housing and Homelessness, is one example in which agencies work to provide people with housing and support rather than trying to manage homelessness through emergency measures.

Calgary was the first city to have a 10-year plan and Alberta was the first province in Canada to follow suit. In the first four years of Calgary’s 10-year plan, more than 4,000 people received housing and support. Another example is the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative, launched in the spring, which aims to reduce the number of people living in poverty.

Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta’s home ownership model is another example. Habitat uses volunteer labour and donated funds and building materials to build safe, decent homes that are sold to low-income families with mortgage payments they can afford. This “hand-up” approach enables families to end their dependency on social housing subsidies. They save money, contribute to the economy and pay between $1,100 and $2,300 each year in property taxes.

Today, National Housing Day, provides Canadians with an opportunity to reflect on the importance of affordable housing in our communities. We need to acknowledge there is a desperate need for adequate housing. We know Calgarians are action-oriented and find such disparity unacceptable. So, this is a call to act. We need volunteers and funds to meet these goals, but we also need the less tangible gifts that will make the seemingly impossible happen. Some of it will involve cutting unnecessary red tape and clearing the way for such easy, short-term approaches as legalizing secondary suites in more communities.

At other times, it will be an engineering solution, such as the clever micro-house designs in development that can fit on small lots or, in some cases, even remain mobile. Or it may include providing land on which to build affordable homes. Forward-thinking community planners have had success including affordable housing in new developments.

The authors of this piece each have their own causes, but are united in their belief that shelter is a basic right. The City of Calgary, Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, The Calgary Action Committee on Housing and Homelessness and Calgary’s Realtors all share the belief that every Calgarian has the right to live in safety and security.

History has shown time and again that the citizens of this city feel the same way — and have the heart and drive to make things happen. Let your elected official know affordable housing is important to you. And share your ideas, time, money and household items so we can turn this ideal into a reality.

The Authors

Bob Jablonski is president of the Calgary Real Estate Board
Naheed Nenshi is mayor of Calgary
John Rook is president and CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation
Walter Twiddy is chair of the Calgary Action Committee on Housing and Homelessness
Leslie Tamagi is president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta

- Mayor Naheed Nenshi