Cooperative and Nonprofit Housing in Winnipeg: Toward a Re-Engagement of the Provision Infrastructure

Cowan D & Marsh. 2001. A Two Steps Forward: Housing Policy into the New Millennium. Policy Press

This perspective holds the view that the causes of homelessness lies outside of an individual’s control, and are often the result of a failure of public institutions. Structural causes are often those that affect the opportunities and the social environments for individuals, and as a result leads to a critical shortage of affordable housing, a lack of adequate income, and even discrimination (Gaetz, S., Donaldson, J., Richter, T., & Gulliver, T. 2013). For many, the lack of affordable housing - which is arguably the main contributor to immigrant homelessness in Toronto - may materialize from interwoven forms of discrimination and oppression based on an individual’s race, gender, social class, and even religion. Due to the low average household incomes of immigrants, the demand for affordable housing is further heightened. A study done in Toronto comparing homelessness and housing issues amongst women, revealed that compared to Canadian-born women, non-status migrant women had the most unstable pre-shelter housing, and stayed in shelters much longer compared to the other groups that were interviewed (Paradis, E., Novac, S., Sarty, M., & Hulchanski, J. D. 2010). This study supports the perspective that immigrant homelessness is the result of the failure of public institutions who are responsible for the policies which govern the

“Today … there is a growing crisis of women’s homelessness across Canada. The Canadian government has failed to explore the causes of women’s homelessness” (Rahder, 2006, p.38). This growing issue is caused by societies carelessness on the homelessness issue, and the lack of support to change it. Even the Canadian government does not see it as an urgent issue to address because, as stated above, they have even failed to

Housing in Toronto is at an all time high, through research found it has become apparent that there is a significant problem with affordable housing. Although finding affordable housing is not necessarily impossible, those who are lucky enough to find affordable accommodations end up with other issues that are beyond their control such as pests and property maintenance issues. Many families living in Toronto are considered middle class and could easily afford to live anywhere else, the rent prices are too steep in the city for them to afford. The city is growing at a healthy rate and there is already a significantly high homeless rate in the city. The purpose of this proposal is to introduce a few organizations that have plans to help this

For the past fifty years the shift from meeting the housing needs of the poor through government projects-based housing to a more individual approach, has been slowly implemented. Housing vouchers now enable underprivileged populations to move from high-poverty, segregated neighborhoods to more un-segregated, low-poverty neighborhoods. Low-poverty neighborhoods have less crime, better opportunities for employment, and more diverse schooling options. Some housing advocates however, contend that housing assistance is unnecessary and is an income subsidy that should be combined with other social safety nets (Clark, W. 2008).

It is time, at last, to speak the truth about my community. As an 18 year old living in Ottawa, the Nation’s Capital, I have had many feelings regarding the homeless and the poor living within my community. The homeless and the poor require much needed assistance, as their situation is miserable. Being given the power to make changes, I think this issue would be the first priority. As a member of my community, Ottawa, I must aim for a positive change. The change could be in housing, food services, and health.

However, in order to eliminate homelessness as a crisis in Canada, these individual factors must be analyzed alongside the structural influences that lead to homelessness. According to the literature, structural risk factors that contribute to homelessness are: transitioning from an institutional placement into the community, social policies such as a lack of affordable housing and the dismantling of national housing strategy, transferring the responsibility from federal to provincial governments, and discrimination (Gaetz 2010, 22; Piat et al. 2015, 2368). By acknowledging these structural risk-factors as contributing alongside individual factors, a social ecological viewpoint proves effective in preventing homelessness (Piat et al., 2379). As the literature suggests, the “social ecological perspective provides a lens for understanding homelessness in Canada as a complex social issue that warrants a coordinated response across sectors, levels of government, and society” (Piat et al., 2380). By considering the issue of homelessness across all levels of society, we are better prepared to formulate a proper and effective solution towards the national

Recently in Detroit, with the efforts to negate the current standings, they provided housing aid. According to the housing statistic, the housing aid drew crowds in Detroit. “One in four working-age adults in Detroit are without a job and the city’s home foreclosure rate continues to be among the nation’s highest.”

Today in Canada, a rise in youth homelessness is being observed across the country. Despite common assumptions, the issue of street youth is not isolated to Toronto or Montreal, but has become pervasive across the country. Although accurate statistics are impossible to come by, the disturbing reality is that both urban centers and rural communities nationwide, are struggling to provide their youth with adequate, affordable housing. Issues surrounding the supply and affordability of housing, combined with personal circumstances characterized by instability, are distancing youth’s access to housing. These causes and their overall consequences, must be faced before lasting solutions can be shaped by society. Housing Canada’s street youth will

It is often easy to castigate large cities or third world countries as failures in the field of affordable housing, yet the crisis, like an invisible cancer, manifests itself in many forms, plaguing both urban and suburban areas. Reformers have wrestled passionately with the issue for centuries, revealing the severity of the situation in an attempt for change, while politicians have only responded with band aid solutions. Unfortunately, the housing crisis easily fades from our memory, replaced by visions of homeless vets, or starving children. Metropolis magazine explains that “…though billions of dollars are spent each year on housing and development programs worldwide, ? At least 1 billion people

Gaetz, S., Dej, E., Richter, T., & Redman, M. (2016). The state of homelessness in Canada 2016. Toronto, Canada: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.

Firstly, the interviewee talks about the Homelessness Prevention Initiatives, the interviewee discloses that the “Homelessness Stability Fund” provides very limited funding to assist Ontario Works, ODSP, and low-income households with costs of obtaining and retaining housing. Within the Homelessness Prevention Initiatives, one of their services is, “The Homelessness Stability Strategy” in which provides street and shelter outreach activities which includes things like telling people about the services the city of Peterborough offer like, “Housing Retention Programs”. Furthermore, the interviewee talked about collecting and receiving donations over the year, such as hats and mitts, and it would be the job of the outreach team to hand them out to people in need. Another program, offered at the City of Peterborough is “The Housing First Program” which is an initiative to house the

Montreal homelessness is a serious issue. It is easy to notice the extent of the problem only by walking in the streets, and unfortunately not just in the poor ones.

The “Community Stability Act” (CSA) is a policy designed to reduce housing transiency in low-income urban and rural communities by providing housing subsidies to low-income families, and financial assistance to families at risk of or experiencing eviction. The CSA will alleviate poverty through removing the various stressors associated with housing transiency, and have subsidiary effects related to education and economic opportunity. This policy is predicated on one key understanding. It is indisputable that the nature of the housing market has changed-- most urban low-income households are spending a significant portion of their income (>50%) on housing expenses. The present is an aberration of long held expectations-- that housing costs should not exceed 30% of one’s income-- and it needs to be addressed. However, the problem of housing costs is multifaceted, and addressing it requires systemic changes (augmenting the power dynamic between labor and capital in the U.S., fixating on public and affordable housing rather than private development) that would not be practical in the current political environment, or in the foreseeable future. This policy, in contrast, derives its attractiveness from how it can be framed, and the widespread effects (from a geographical and socioeconomic perspective) that it will have. The CSA will provide a housing subsidy to all parents of schoolchildren (aged four to eighteen). The subsidy would reduce the family’s housing costs to 30% of said

A vast amount of studies have been conducted on homelessness in Canada and what the looks like in our society. How can we change this to become a mare successful ideas of help?The main topic that is going to try to be addressed is Homelessness and how help may be provided to those who are in need. The first thing that needs to be addressed is how displayed in the following articles and are they beneficial to our society. The ideas that the following article was written by Racine, G (2002) about the woman telling their experiences with help from society, while in poverty.Another source that is going to be dissected is an article written by Anucha, U (2010) addresses are going to address is it true that Homelessness is housed but not helped? The next article is written and will be examined is by Fallis G (2010) that is going to address to be on our current housing policy for those without a home. The next article is written by Walsh, C.Graham, J.Shier, M. (2009) and the main goal of that is what are the goals for a homeless shelter as a connective? One of the last articles I am going to be critically analyzing is an article written by Brushett, K Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario (2007) is one the people will go with the cuts to the housing policy. The final article that is going to be dissected written by Paul Morden; A story about College students holding a sleep out challenge held to spread awareness. The main