User:Oceanflynn/sandbox/affordable housing

Contemporary issues

Condominiums in the Downtown West End

With the redevelopment of the Beltline and the Downtown East Village at the forefront, efforts are underway to vastly increase the density of the inner city, but this has not stopped the rate of sprawl. In 2012, the combined population of the downtown neighbourhoods (including the Downtown Commercial Core, the Downtown East Village, the Downtown West End, Eau Claire, Chinatown, and the Beltline) was 36,228. However, looking at all of the inner-city neighbourhoods, the combined population was 179,304.

Because of the growth of the city, its southwest borders are now immediately adjacent to the Tsuu T'ina reserve. Recentresidential developments in the deep southwest of the city have created a demand for a major roadway heading into the interior of the city, the southwest portion of the Calgary ring road project. . An initial proposal that would allow the southwest ring road to be built through the Tsuu T'ina Nation lands was rejected by the Tsuu T'ina people in a referendum in 2009. A second referendum by the Tsuu T'ina, in late 2013, approved a new agreement to build the southwest ring road, but the construction has not yet begun.

Affordable housing in Calgary

Although Calgary and Alberta have traditionally been affordable places to live, substantial growth (much of it due to the prosperous energy sector) has led to increasing demand on real-estate. As a result, house prices in Calgary have increased significantly in recent years, but have stagnated over the last half of 2007, and into 2008. As of November 2006, Calgary is the most expensive city in Canada for commercial/downtown office space, and the second most expensive city (second to Vancouver) for residential real-estate. The cost of living and inflation is now the highest in the country, recent figures show that inflation was running at six per cent in April 2007.

Housing First: proactive response to homelessness

Calgary has been very proactive in responding to homelessness. Like most large cities, there are many socioeconomic issues including homelessness. According to the City of Calgary, "Beginning in 1992 with the first Biennial Count of Homeless Persons, The City focused its research efforts on issues of poverty and shelter. An Affordable Housing Strategy was prepared in 2002, which called for a greater understanding of housing need in Calgary. In 2007 the Calgary Committee to End Homelessness (CCEH) was formed consisting of government representatives as well as business and community leaders. The result was Calgary’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness, which was released in 2008 and is being implemented by the Calgary Homeless Foundation." Alberta and Calgary have been leaders within Canada in addressing homelessness. Calgary was the first among Canada's large cities to adopt a ten-year plan to address the issue. As a result, the city experienced an 11.4% decrease in homelessness between 2008 and 2012.

In their 2011 annual report it was noted that about 1,500 Albertans who were "experiencing homelessness were provided safe housing with the supports to remain housed and transition to independence." 2011. Housing and Urban Affairs Annual Report 2011

Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, founded in 1905, "represents Alberta’s 272 urban municipalities including cities, towns, villages, summer villages to develop partnerships with municipal, provincial and federal governments and organizations. The Alberta Municipal Services Corporation (AMSC) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the AUMA The AUMA has been delivering aggregated service solutions to municipalities, municipally related organizations and their employees since the 1960s. To ensure that AUMA continues to provide the best value combined with outstanding service, it established the Alberta Municipal Services Corporation (AMSC) on January 1, 2005 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the AUMA. A

Alberta Municipal Services Corporation (AMSC)

The Housing Management Bodies can now lend directly from the Alberta Social Housing Corporation

At the AUMA Convention in November, the province confirmed that public housing management bodies directly incorporated under the Alberta Housing Act (including those operating seniors lodges) will be permitted to borrow directly from the Alberta Social Housing Corporation.

Given that debt servicing costs often are paid for through the municipal requisition, this could result in larger requisitions in the future. The province has clarified to AUMA that the lending will be subject to the formal completion and approval of a Regulation to the Alberta Housing Act, which will include the following:

The projects have to be substantiated by a recent needs analysis for the area. The projects have to be approved by the member municipalities, including full operating and capital budgets and whether it impacts requisition or not. The projects should then be submitted in the three year business plans of the housing management bodies that are due to the Minister as outlined in the Alberta Housing Act. Projects would then be considered annually to get the loans. The terms would be very similar to Alberta Capital Financing Authority.

Thank you.

Sue Bohaichuk Executive Officer, Policy and Advocacy

Zohreh Saher Policy Analyst, Policy and Advocacy

Housing First is now growing in popularity in Canada and used in many Canadian ten-year plans to end homelessness, such as those in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta. In 2007 Pathways to Housing – a Canadian adaptation of American Housing First model – was launched through a 40-year-old charity called Alex Pathways to Housing placed people into housing first before addressing contributing factors to their homelessness.

Sue Fortune of the Calgary-based Mental Health Commission of Canada and who responsible for the operational success of Pathways To Housing Calgary spearheaded Housing First: A Canadian Perspective(TM) . Canadian adaptations to Housing First have demonstrated positive outcomes as documented on the website: thealex.ca (Housing Programs; Pathways to Housing). Canadian implementations of Housing First must be tailored to Canadian homelessness, resources, politics and philosophy. Housing and Urban Affairs Annual Report 2011 and the Calgary Homeless Foundation

Outcomes tabulated by Sue Fortune Pathways to Housing Calgary: Canadian Adaptations using Housing First: A Canadian Perspective: Less than 1% of existing clients return to shelters or rough sleeping; clients spend 76% fewer days in jail; clients have 35% decline in police interactions.