Homes for People Not Money

“Rising home prices mostly benefit those [people] who want to eventually sell out and move somewhere cheaper” according to Shane Phillips affordable housing consultant and  author of the Affordable City[1].  Home owners selling and buying in the same market see little to no benefit. And for renters (70% of the citizens) in District 7, rapidly rising rents, renovictions and fixed term leases are causing frustration and chronic anxiety. Some students pay almost $1000 per month for one room in an old house with 6 other tenants and no common space. A young person in a decent, small apartment in a large building cannot afford to find a larger place to move in with their partner. A  working couple in their forties are worried that they may be forced out of their current apartment and won’t be able to afford anywhere else on the peninsula. And encampments (the subject of my next blog)  are the tip of the iceberg of housing unaffordability.

Halifax must create and sustainably support truly affordable housing if we want a city that works. I appreciated the chance to be on the Todd Veinotte show (City News  95.7) on July 30 to discuss this and other topics. This blog is a follow up.

Affordability of housing is the number one issue I hear about on the doorsteps of District 7. Everyone – renters, homeowners, youth, seniors want governments at all levels to collaborate and solve this problem. People want a livable, vibrant city - to achieve this we must start with safe, secure, quality housing for people of all ages, genders and income levels. 

What can we do to reverse the trend of unaffordability so current and future generations of families, workers, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and those on fixed incomes can thrive in District 7?  By looking at other cities and thinking creatively, we can find innovative ideas to help us achieve this goal. Below are a few suggestions for actions that could result in more affordable housing being maintained and/or created.

1. Re-define affordable housing to be in line with the Province: “Housing that is adequate ( in good repair), suitable (large enough for its occupants) and costs less than 30% of the household’s pretax income”[2].

2. Inclusionary Zoning:
   • Require a minimum of 30% of all new developments with 6 units or more to be set aside as affordable (as defined above) rental housing
   • Require 25% of units in all new developments of 30 units or more to be set aside as designated accessible (for people with mobility challenges) rental housing².

3. Rent Bank
   • Create a municipal rent bank for tenants and underhoused people to access low-interest loans and grants towards rent, rental deposits, or utility arrears.²

     • Based on the Toronto Rent Bank model
     • Note: this is funded provincially and run municipally in other
provinces

4. Reduce/eliminate vacant lots: Weed-filled vacant lots frustrate and anger everyone. (There are dozens of vacant lots within one kilometre of my house - on Robie Street, Coburg Road, Quinpool and Windsor– former St Pat’s High School). 
   • On March 5, 2024, HRM Council passed a motion to request the province to allow a vacant lot tax. This would be a good first step. 
   • Other cities have bylaws that prohibit demolition of existing housing until the developer is ready to start building (i.e. has all the permits and requirements to start immediately). Such a bylaw would mean currently affordable housing would remain in place until new construction was ready to begin.

5. Require new developments to sell a meaningful proportion of apartments to non-profit organizations that would guarantee affordable (as defined above) and supportive housing in perpetuity.

6. Work with Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s University to encourage them to take part in Canada Home Share – a national not-for-profit home sharing program that matches older home providers with post-secondary students or other older adults looking to rent a spare room. Seniors benefit from support and students have access to more housing options. Fredericton, Miramichi, Toronto, Vancouver, Kingston take part in this program.

7. Incentivize Co-op Housing and Community Land Trusts and other non-market solutions
   • Housing co‑ops provide at-cost housing for their members and are controlled by members who have a vote in decisions. There is no outside landlord. Each housing co‑operative is a legal association, incorporated as a co‑operative. Housing co‑ops are guided by international co‑operative principles, adapted for housing co‑ops.
   • A community land trust (often called a CLT) acquires and holds land to be used for the benefit of community. The assets on that land – houses, apartments, community gardens, buildings used for non-profits and social enterprises – are for community. The CLT removes those assets from the public marketplace.  See United Way Halifax for more information.
   • The Sunflower built by Adsum House is an excellent example of a permanently affordable housing model for women, families and gender-expansive folks. This development will , through the use of passive design and solar panels, “achieve ‘Net-Zero’– meaning that Sunflower Court and Sunflower House will produce as much energy as they use,”

If elected to Council I will work collaboratively with citizens of District 7, other councillors and provincial and federal governments to implement creative solutions like those outlined above.

I welcome ideas, questions, feedback and topics you would like me to address in future blogs. Please email me cathy@catherinecervinhrm.ca

Future blogs will discuss

• Encampments as a symptom of a deeper problem
• Better access to daycare including a central city-wide waitlist for daycare spaces
• Improving frequency, accessibility and reliability of public transit
• My commitment to be open and responsive to District 7 residents’ concerns.

[1] 2020 Phillips S; Chapter 08 of The Affordable City: Strategies for Putting Housing within Reach (and Keeping It There). Island Press Washington DC.

[2] Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) Municipal Platform 2024 accessed August 12 2024