Adequate housing is a right, not a privilege

We have enough talk and study — it’s time for concrete solution

Has social housing ever been intended to be a long-term solution for affordable housing? Within the Sons and Daughters of Italy, Trieste Lodge, I have been involved with social-housing programs and support for over 40 years.

There seems to be an underlying current in which there appears a number of second, and in some cases third, generations coming into or accessing these social-support programs.

This has not been simply from the pandemic. This trend was showing up before the COVID-19 crisis.

The first question that should be asked is whether social-housing needs have generational causes? In addition to social economic factors, are there other factors that would increase someone’s probability to become a user of these social-housing programs?

The second question is how can we eliminate these cycles? How can the providers of social-housing programs bring about an end to this cycle? What can be done with the current programs that we have?

Housing should be a right, not a privilege. Also, any solution and/or improvement must take a “holistic” approach to all the elements that should be taken into consideration.

There are three elements that allow for that right to be realized: one is “security” in whatever form, the other is “family” also in whatever form, and ownership.

The history of past immigrant communities is helpful in this regard.

When immigrants first arrived in Canada, they lived in rented basements, second floors, in whatever form of housing that was made available.

In this regard, municipal bylaws must be flexible to allow for such rentals to exist. In many municipalities, the rental of such units is almost prohibitive, since bylaws exist that require major alterations and upgrading to meet whatever codes are imposed.

Municipalities need to have improved flexibility to allow for this expansion of rental properties. In doing so, a large quantity of housing units would come on the market.

This would require some bylaws to be changed and updated to allow flexibility in the rental market.

The second element is the “family.” There exists many forms and definitions to this term. In whatever shape and definition that it comes, a meaningful family unit must be maintained for it will provide a touchstone point for the individual.

Support must be given in many forms, such as child care, providing training to the caregiver in such things as finances, food shopping and preparation, and all those mundane things that are required in daily life.

Finally, the third element is “ownership.” Ownership of anything, no matter how insignificant, gives a person and family a better sense of itself.

Within social/affordable housing groups, there has been discussion that has centred on the idea of giving the residents of these socialhousing units ownership. That can start by giving them a “mortgage” on their units. The subsidy that they would normally receive would go toward the payment of that mortgage.

There have been many such discussions; however, the stalling point happens at the usual governmental or bureaucratic staff level that states that housing subsidies can only be paid to the housing provider.

One of the ideas that has been discussed for housing is to have a “lease-to-own” system that could work for both condos and townhomes.

Such systems are currently being developed in England, and some trials are planned in Canada.

One of the problems that has been encountered is that the financial institutions are still looking at the individual’s ability to pay back the valuation of the property.

These lenders need to be updated on these alternatives. As do the government institutions that would provide some of the funding.

In a perfect world, there would be no need for social housing or any other form of assistance. We do not live in a perfect world. As a society, that obligation to do better falls on each of us, both as individuals and as the organizations that manage our society.

Volunteer community-based organizations, such as the Sons and Daughters of Italy, Trieste Lodge; The Good Shepherd; Wesley Community Housing; Indwell; and many others continue to do good work, but more needs to be done.

We have enough studies. What we need are realistic solutions that can and must be undertaken that will help to make housing a reality for everyone who needs it.