[homeles_ot-l] Shortage of Affordable Housing For One In Three Ottawa Seniors

[Lynne Browne]

FYI, Housing Seniors: Choices, Challenges and Solutions Full Report at
HYPERLINK
"http://www.coaottawa.ca/library/files/COA.Housing_Final_Report.August.Engli
sh.pdf"http://www.coaottawa.ca/library/files/COA.Housing_Final_Report.August
.English.pdf

 

Lynne Browne 
Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness 
147 Besserer Street, Ottawa ON  K1N 6A7 
613-241-7913 x 205, lbrowne at ysb.on.ca 
www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca 

News Release 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

The Council on Aging of Ottawa / Le Conseil sur le vieillissement d'Ottawa 


Shortage of Affordable Housing For One In Three Ottawa Seniors


 


According to a report just released by the Council on Aging of Ottawa, there
is a chronic shortage of affordable housing options for low and modest
income seniors (where households spend 30% or less on accommodation), a
growing demand for temporary emergency housing by seniors and the situation
continues to worsen with the senior population explosion. 

The report, titled “Housing Seniors: Choices, Challenges and Solutions”,
provides an overview of the Ottawa housing situation in the public and
private sectors, the retirement home industry and looks at emerging issues
concerning emergency temporary shelter for a growing number of seniors. 

Highlights include: 

 

• the urgent reminder that the current population of Ottawa seniors, now
approximately 103,000, will more than double to 230,576 by 2031 and that the
quantity and quality of supply is far short of projected need 

 

• most seniors in “core housing need” spend over 40% of their income on
housing 

 

• 11.5% of Ottawa seniors are visible minorities; 

 

• approximately one in four low income seniors is currently accommodated by
social housing 

 

• almost half of all senior women have less than $20,000 income; 

 

• the cost of living in a “retirement residence” is beyond the means of the
majority of seniors; 

 

• taxes based on mounting assessed values on inner-city properties
disproportionately affect seniors on fixed incomes 

 

The 40-page study formed the framework for the “Policy Forum on Housing for
Seniors 55+“, sponsored by the Council in the fall of 2007. In his spirited
keynote address to forum participants, the Honorable Ed Broadbent drew
attention to the fundamental social right of citizens to shelter and called
on participants to remind governments at all levels of their obligations to
provide support and programs to protect that right – especially for seniors.
“Early in the 1990s, the government abolished our federal housing
programmes, making us the only country among developed democracies without a
national housing policy.” Broadbent said. 

Input from the professionals, laymen and laywomen who participated in the
daylong forum helped shape priorities for future action by the Council in
the area of Seniors Housing. Based on the findings of the report, the
Council on Aging is committed to work with like-minded individuals and
organizations to foster the needed political will of decision-makers at all
levels of government and in the private and non-profit sectors to make
lasting improvements in the area of seniors’ housing in the Ottawa area. 

The Council on Aging of Ottawa is a bilingual, non-profit, voluntary
organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all seniors in
Ottawa. The Council works with and for seniors in the community to voice
issues and concerns to all levels of government and to the general public. 

-30- 

Information: Full report is attached. See The Council on Aging of Ottawa
website www.coaottawa.ca for full text. For hard copy, contact Lise-Michelle
Bouchard 613-789-3577 #11 or Eric Cosgrove, Chair, Housing Committee
(613-526-3936) ericcosgrove at rogers.com 

The Council on Aging of Ottawa 101-1247 Kilborn Place Ottawa, ON K1H 6K9
Tel: 613-789-3577 Fax: 613-789-4406 E-mail: coa at coaottawa.ca Website:
www.coaottawa.ca


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