[homeles_ot-l] Communities Speak - Report Released! Ottawa affordable housing in the news

Tue Nov 17 11:09:33 EST 2009

Housing Network of Ontario (HNO) Report Released!

Communities Speak: A Summary of the 2009 Provincial Housing Consultations

The report is attached in English and French as well as the HNO Ottawa
group's press release covered in the story below - great job by spokespeople
Dan Sabourin, Vice Chair of the Alliance to End Homelessness, and Jenn
Wilks, Coordinator of Ottawa Child/Youth Housing Advocacy Initiative. If you
are interested in the Ottawa branch of HNO please let me know.

Lynne

Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)

147 Besserer St., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7

613-241-7913, ext. 205

www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca <http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/> 

___________________________

Government money not enough to end housing shortage

The Ottawa Sun 

Tue Nov 17 2009 
Page: 12 
Section: News 
Byline: BY SCOTT TAYLOR, SUN MEDIA 

The province must take steps to increase affordable housing or risk an
epidemic of poverty, homelessness, and health costs, says a report issued
yesterday by the Housing Network of Ontario. 

Communities Speak: A Summary of the 2009 Provincial Housing Consultations,
reflects government and community consultations held between June and
November across the province, and summarizes 40 recommendations for the
government to enact. 

Although the province and feds have approved $1.2 billion over the next few
years for repairs and new community housing, the crisis isn't over, warned
Dan Sabourin, vice- chairman for the Alliance to End Homelessness. 

Sabourin said there are still too many people who can't afford to make a go
of it when the average rent in Ottawa, according to Statistics Canada, is
$849 a month. 

"At a minimum wage of $10 an hour, it's not just people on the street who
can't afford housing. We have a whole service industry paying more than 50%
of their salaries on rent." 

Jenn Wilks, co-ordinator of the Ottawa Child/Youth Housing Advocacy
Initiative, said money spent on community housing is an investment. 

"It has been shown that if housing costs are too high, there's not enough
money left over for prescription medication and good, healthy nutrition. So
investing into housing is good for all Ontarians because it places less of a
burden on health care." 

Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Jim Watson noted the city is
receiving $21 million this year and another $26 million in 2010 for the
repair and construction of affordable housing. Of that, $6.7 million is
slated for two projects that will open 61 new units. 

"I know we're playing catchup, but we're getting the money out the door," he
said. 

--- 

GIMME SHELTER 

LOOKING FOR A HOME 

- In Ontario, 627,000 households live in substandard or overcrowded housing.

- Locally, 7,045 individuals were homeless last year, including 1,179
children. 

- 9,602 households were on the social housing waiting list. 

- According to the Ottawa Community Housing website, only 12 of 144 OCH-run
buildings have units available. 

Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)

147 Besserer St., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7

613-241-7913, ext. 205

www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca <http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/> 

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