…and How Affordable Housing Can Work

Affordable housing is income tested housing (apartments) for people that live and work in our communities.  We likely interact with these people daily (example our favourite Tim Hortons employee). Their income makes it hard to pay rent at full market cost and also make ends meet (food, living expenses).  Income tested reduced rent and housing allows these individuals to continue to work, be productive and have more income for other needed living expenses.  They do not have to fear of not having housing and becoming homeless.

Support housing is for people that likely are homeless already and may have mental health or addiction issues.  These housing units provide these individuals to be able not to live on the streets but in housing units.  These units will have additional services to assist these individuals such as social workers and also provide security.  Homeless people whom are willing to enter supportive housing units will be offered voluntarily to live there.  

By providing supportive housing it assists these individuals to have help they need with the hope that their lives can be turned around. 

Providing people that are NOT currently homeless with affordable housing will prevent those individuals from ever becoming homeless.  

The income tested reduce rent is an effective why for these people not to become homeless and the costs associated with helping the homeless population.  It saves money in the long run to stop people from become homeless and hence allowing for the reduced rent to be funded by reallocation of funds that would have gone to assisting those individuals should they have become homeless and as such likely losing ability to maintain work.

Solving homelessness is to stop people from becoming homeless in the first place.  

People that are homeless and need supportive housing reduces costs as well as if they were still living homeless.

The remainder of chronic homeless are continued to be supported and offered supportive housing and care they need.  The goal is to stabilize this population and help them as we can. 

Click here for the information that created Peter’s thinking.

Written by Peter Genovese,
Member: GPS/365, Trinity UC Beamsville

Comments… email affordablehousinglincoln@gmail.com