USA: Building Safe and Affordable Housing King’s County
Introduction:
Throughout the fall of 2017 and winter of 2018 the “Housing: Now and Into the Future” needs assessment was conducted across Shelburne, Digby, Yarmouth, Annapolis, Kings and West Hants Counties in Nova Scotia. The assessment was a collaborative effort among local housing coalitions, community partners and municipal units with the purpose to Increasing knowledge of affordable and supportive housing needs and issues, Engaging the community to better understand the local housing situation, Generating reports with current data on housing needs relevant to our communities that can be used for planning, service delivery, and funding proposals and Documenting the housing needs of all citizens including vulnerable populations (women leaving domestic violence, youth, seniors, LGBTQ, persons with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness). This report presents findings from the assessment which examines issues related to building safe and affordable housing in our communities.
Why Focus on Building Affordable Housing:
Housing is a key element to the social and economic sustainability of all communities. A diverse housing supply can cater to different types of residents and offers a range of accessible, affordable and appropriate housing options across the lifespan. The Housing Now and Into the Future needs assessment has identified a number of the challenges our communities encounter with respect to housing, including: unaffordable housing costs; aging housing stock; and changing housing needs. The report on Precarious Housing and Homelessness across our Rural Communities indicated that 40% of survey respondents experienced housing insecurity and that this, and core housing need, continues to be an issue placing many residents at risk for homelessness. This data indicates that housing costs are more than many can afford.
Age of Movers:
Survey respondents of all age groups indicated an intention to move. Adults aged 26-49 represented the largest portion of those surveyed who were considering a move (45%). About three quarters of movers are adults between 26 and 64 years.
Household Size of Movers and Renters:
The average number of people living in households is gradually decreasing.9 Across the general population, the average household size for Kings County is 2.3 people. When looking at renters and movers across the county, the average number of people per household is slightly larger for these two groups compared to the general population. Approximately 26% of renters are one-person households, however, as indicated in the “Important Rental Features” subsection, this alone is not an indication of desired bedrooms per unit required. Despite household size, most respondents indicated the need for 2 or more bedrooms. Building to accommodate these needs and desires will help to ensure market flexibility and responsiveness, now and into the future.
Building and Maintaining Affordable Housing:
Affordable housing is not affordable because it’s built with cheap or shabby materials; rather, it is affordable because innovative developers with or without government funding have kept the constructions and/or operating costs low. Affordable just means that housing should cost no more than 30% of a household’s income. It must comply with the same building restrictions and design standards as market-rate housing; as such, it will be designed to fit in with the character of the neighbourhood. When it is funded with public money, additional restrictions and higher standards are sometimes required.
Conclusion:
Without supportive services many people cannot become and/or stay successfully housed, nor can they access and make effective use of services in their community. A range of housing options and supports are required to meet the diverse needs of Nova Scotians. These supports may range from simple help with daily living to enhanced community supports, services and programs to specialized services to the implementation of a comprehensive Housing First Approach to housing in our province. Failing to address the housing related needs of individuals and families who could have remained in their communities, if they had access to the necessary supports, has compounded the affordable housing issue in rural Nova Scotia.
Also Read: Affordable Housing: An Academic Perspective on Policy and Practice in India