Mayor Survey Question 6
Everyone says they support affordable housing, but what does that term mean for you? Do you think the City should be subsidizing housing for lower-income residents? Or focused on keeping the cost of all housing from getting out of control? Or perhaps some combination of the two? If so, how?
Brad Magee:
I believe in a combination of the two. Housing is one of the biggest expense for any individual. We will work with our current system to put a cap on rental costs. This will help our vulnerable population either find housing or maintain what they currently have. If we can afford to in our current budget do a subsidy then yes I will support that motion. One thing I would like the city do is work on building more carriage homes. The advantage to a carriage home is significant. They are typically lower cost rental homes, in a neighbourhood close to amenities within walking distance. For some, the difference of 400 a month in rent is the “make or break” between affordability or homelessness.
Ken Johnston:
See Question 3. Housing is a shared mandate of the Province and the Feds. The City should not be subsidizing housing unless it's a combination of business investment with a housing component and that is not subsidized housing but market (i.e. housing at standard market rates) housing. Typically our City would fund transitional housing or subsidized housing through the Provincial or Federal programs that we are given a fee to administer. We do that through the Community Housing Advisory Board.
Buck Buchanan:
"Affordable Housing" is an interesting term and we have various models, the Housing First model has been the virtual impossible to house (The Old Buffalo) and is now the Amethyst House this model is being supported by the Canadian Mental Health and I think they are doing a very good job with folks that have addiction and mental health issues. Affordable Housing is generally below market value and that number can vary from place to place. Right now the issue is Housing Stock and this is not totally a Municipal Issue the Federal Goverment has made promises regarding Housing and as they recieve 60 cents on every Tax dollar they are in a much better position to supply Stock. Presently the Housing initiative is supported with flow through dollars from the other forms of Government but the money is never enough. I think we should also have a single point of entry for Affordable housing and this has gotten much better but is still not where it should be in my opinion.
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