Right to Home: Different futures: How do we (re)imagine housing in a pandemic world?

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Note to readers: This video session was transcribed using auto-transcribing software. Manual editing was undertaken in an effort to improve readability and clarity. Questions or concerns with the transcription can be directed to events@canurb.org with “transcription” in the subject line.

Full Audience
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From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://canurb.org/citytalk

11:46:12 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff to All panelists: https://canurb.org/citytalk-news/?type=recent_discussions you can find all of our past CityTalks here!
11:53:28 From Canadian Urban Institute to All panelists: Ruth’s organization info has been updated on Zoom and the website.:)
11:57:01 From Canadian Urban Institute to All panelists: We have 615 attendees today! Great numbers!
11:59:25 From Canadian Urban Institute to All panelists: delinquent staff too!:)
11:59:30 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff to All panelists::)
11:59:40 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff to All panelists: Have a great session!
12:01:18 From Canadian Urban Institute: Welcome! Folks, please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:01:22 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff: Joining us on today’s panel:

Leilani Farha: https://twitter.com/leilanifarha

Ruth Goba: https://twitter.com/RuthGoba

Jeff Morrison: https://twitter.com/jeff_d_morrison

Margaret Pfoh: https://twitter.com/MPfoh

Michel Tremblay: https://twitter.com/CMHC_ca
12:01:35 From Haseena Manek to All panelists: If you want to learn more about The Shift, head to www.maketheshift.org!
12:01:51 From Ashley Michell: Bin Honzu (Beautiful Morning), Indigenous Housing Support Worker from Smithers B.C
12:01:51 From Canadian Urban Institute: Keep the conversation going #right2housing #citytalk @canurb
12:01:56 From Haseena Manek: If you want to learn more about The Shift, head to www.maketheshift.org!
12:02:17 From Carmen Clayton to All panelists: really appreciating these sessions this week – also appreciated “Push”! thank you everyone
12:02:27 From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://www.canurb.org/citytalk
12:03:25 From Carmen Clayton to All panelists: didn’t mean to leave our “Us & Them” – just that I own a dvd copy so wasn’t new to me. Loved seeing Krista, Eddie & Karen yesterday.
12:04:02 From Canadian Urban Institute: Just a reminder to please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:04:14 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff: You can register to watch the films here: https://canurb.org/right-to-home . If you run into any difficulties, please email communications@canurb.org
12:04:26 From Canadian Urban Institute: Attendees; where are you tuning in from today?
12:04:43 From Toby Greenbaum: Ottawa
12:04:53 From Alyson King: Cobourg, ON
12:04:53 From Adrienne Pacini to All panelists: Hi there, tuning in from Toronto!
12:04:56 From Hannah Brais to All panelists: Montréal
12:04:57 From Cynthia Dovell to All panelists: Edmonton
12:04:58 From Negin Minaei: Hi , Toronto
12:05:00 From Sarah Potts to All panelists: Victoria, BC
12:05:01 From Jessica B to All panelists: Montreal, QC
12:05:01 From Alison James to All panelists: Morning, all. Here from Victoria BC
12:05:03 From Pam Hine: Whitehorse, Yukon
12:05:04 From Shona van Zijll de Jong: Kingston enjoying the breeze from St Lawrence river
12:05:12 From Taleen D: Toronto, ON
12:05:12 From Lisa Landrum to All panelists: Hello from Winnipeg (University of Manitoba – Faculty of Architecture)
12:05:14 From Sarah Hunn: Victoria, BC:)
12:05:16 From Ashley Michell: Smithers B.C
12:05:18 From Hasti Almasi: Toronto!
12:05:19 From Sophia Garza to All panelists: Vancouver
12:05:21 From Steven Amirikah to All panelists: Ottawa
12:05:21 From Juli Wai: Toronto, ON!
12:05:21 From Zosia Larrivee to All panelists: Vancouver, BC
12:05:23 From Tamara Woldegebreal to All panelists: Edmonton AB
12:05:24 From Jill Snow: St. John’s, NL
12:05:24 From Alexander Blake: Hello from York Region, Ontario:)
12:05:26 From Jennifer Brown: Saint John, NB!
12:05:26 From Erica Siba: Halifax, NS
12:05:27 From Lisa Helps: Victoria BC Lekwungen Territory
12:05:27 From Nicholas: Hi, Quebec city
12:05:28 From Sarah Potts: Victoria, BC
12:05:28 From Ted Hildebrandt to All panelists: Burlington, ON
12:05:28 From Judith Perry: Halifax, NS
12:05:29 From Rajini Tarcicius to All panelists: Scarborough On
12:05:30 From Kathy Suggitt to All panelists: Barrie, ON
12:05:34 From Rhea McAdam to All panelists: Sault Ste. Marie, ON
12:05:38 From Nicole Christy: Ottawa, ON
12:05:39 From Chris Bell: Calgary, AB
12:05:40 From Callum Maguire: Hi from Comox BC
12:05:41 From Carolyn Whitzman: Ottawa, ON
12:05:47 From Adrienne Richard to All panelists: Treaty 6/Edmonton region
12:05:49 From Canadian Urban Institute: Don’t forget to include attendees in your chats!
12:05:52 From Brad Brewster to All panelists: Calgary, AB
12:05:53 From Elisabeth Schneider: algary
12:05:55 From Yvonne Kelly to All panelists: Greetings from York Region, Ontario @R2HYorkRegion
12:05:57 From Jean Côté: Hi from Fredericton NB
12:05:57 From Martina Jileckova to All panelists: Calgary
12:06:04 From Catherine Hacksel: Ottawa:)
12:06:06 From Alana Lavoie: Hello from Ottawa, ON
12:06:08 From Adriana Bernardino: Hello from Toronto, ON
12:06:13 From Hope Jamieson to All panelists: St. John’s, NL here
12:06:19 From Vince Klyne: Beautiful Hammonds Plains NS
12:06:19 From Brian McCauley: Good day from Vancouver!
12:06:25 From Steph Morgan to All panelists: Hugs from Toronto. Thank you for your time.
12:06:28 From Jane Jiang to All panelists: Ottawa, ON
12:06:35 From Joska Ottjes: Hi from Utrecht, Netherlands
12:06:35 From Adrienne Richard: Treaty 6/Edmonton region
12:06:36 From Laurel Davies Snyder: Hello from Stratford, ON
12:06:47 From Sandy White to All panelists: Hi from Vernon, BC
12:07:05 From Alison James: Morning all. Victoria, BC
12:07:24 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff: Welcome everyone! Just a reminder to change your chat settings to “All panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:07:26 From Siaran: Wales, UK
12:07:30 From Annelise van der Veen: Morning! Tuning in from Vancouver, BC
12:07:35 From Maggie Haynes: Hello from London, ON
12:07:44 From Nancy Simmonds: Good morning everyone! Nancy Simmonds from Heartland Housing Foundation in Sherwood Park, Alberta. Looking forward to the conversation this morning!
12:07:51 From Sandy White: Hi everyone from Vernon, BC
12:08:04 From Robert Brocklebank: Ottawa
12:08:05 From Ashley Michell: Amazing words Margaret.
12:08:05 From André Darmanin to All panelists: Hello from Vaughan.
12:08:11 From Lily Ford: Hello from Burnaby BC
12:08:25 From Robert Dalgleish: Burlington, ON subject of Dish with One Spoon wampum belt covenant
12:08:37 From Sharon Dorion: Good Afternoon everyone from Midland, Ontario
12:08:45 From Pat Petrala: Greetings from Semiahmoo PH2H Peninsula Homeless To Housing in Sunny WHITE ROCK/S. SURREY, BC
12:09:09 From Kasimir Kish: Kasimir Kish, CertCIH with Tikva Housing Society in Vancouver – Good Day!
12:09:47 From Lilian Chau to All panelists: Morning from Vancouver BC unceded territory of Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations
12:10:37 From Dominika Krzeminska: Hello from sunny/stormy Ottawa.
12:11:11 From Dana Sidebottom: Hello from Kingston!
12:11:13 From Celia Chandler: Weston (northwest corner of Toronto). Minister Hassen’s riding. lots of housing need here.
12:11:18 From Andrew Wilson: Good morning. Hot and sunny in the Cowichan Valley.
12:11:46 From Martina Jileckova: Hello everyone from Calgary!
12:12:03 From Barry Pinsky: Special hello to Ruth Goba – one of our young professional interns working on housing rights in India many years ago.
12:12:13 From George Tchanturia: Hi, from Tbilisi. It’s already evening here.
12:12:13 From Harriet Stanford: Good morning from Fort St. John, BC & Treaty 8 territory!
12:12:34 From Michael Sagert to All panelists: Good morning from Calgary. Martina – nice to see you on the call. Hope all is well!
12:14:07 From Abby S: Are repayment agreements even legal?
12:14:48 From André Darmanin to All panelists: @abby yes they are. It’s the last step before potential eviction. When I worked in co-op housing, that was an option for those in arrears
12:15:53 From Alynne Neault to All panelists: Good morning from Comox Valley!
12:15:59 From Canadian Urban Institute: Welcome new joiners! Just a reminder to please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:16:56 From Kathy Suggitt: Good afternoon from Barrie, ON
12:17:00 From marc Lachance: hello from Mississauga
12:17:12 From Adrienne Pacini: Hi there, tuning in from Toronto!
12:17:18 From Shafin Damani: Good Morning from Vancouver
12:17:26 From André Darmanin to All panelists: Hi @adrienne
12:17:50 From Alynne Neault: Good morning from north Vancouver Island -Aboriginal Outreach Housing support worker
12:18:00 From Mary W Rowe to André Darmanin and all panelists: you need to change your settings – only panelists are seeing them:)
12:18:06 From Lilian Chau: hi from Brightside Community Homes Foundation in Vancouver BC, unceded territory of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waitith and Squamish Nations.
12:18:37 From Havi Echenberg to All panelists: hello from the highway in Ohio
12:18:49 From Immaculee Uwanyiligira to All panelists: For tomorrow’s webinar, I am surprised and disappointed that the Mayor of Medicine Hat has not been invited, to share his secret to eradicating homelessness in his city. This best practice could be replicated across the country
12:18:58 From Lilian Chau: let’s try that again Hi from Brightside Community Homes Foundation in Vancouver BC, unceded territory of Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations
12:19:21 From Havi Echenberg: hello from the Ohio highway
12:19:38 From André Darmanin: @abby yes they are. It’s the last step before potential eviction. When I worked in co-op housing, that was an option for those in arrears
12:19:56 From Mark Guslits: Another day, another excellent dialogue on housing issues hosted by Mary and CUI. Thanks again. These have been important
12:20:10 From Abby S: @andre so now they are being used against tenants instead of for tenants.
12:21:23 From André Darmanin: @abby. performance agreements are negotiated with the tenants. a property manager during these times should be more lenient, but we know they are not.
12:21:34 From Alynne Neault: @kasimir – hi Kas!
12:22:19 From Angela Koh: Angela based in Toronto but from Vancouver! how do we talk about creating affordable housing while also responding to the immediate needs of maintaining/protecting existing affordable housing………
12:22:30 From Carmen Clayton: feels like the pandemic should be highlighting the need to accelerate that timeline for housing for all
12:22:36 From Meera Mathew: Does it make sense to try to hold a government accountable to an objective that is 15 years away as opposed to something that can be achieved in 1-2 terms? We haven’t had a government with that amount of longevity since chretien.
12:22:41 From Pat Petrala: FYI in BC HOUSING Rent SUBSIDIES BC Municipal Affairs $500/mo. rent supplement for April, May & June. Must qualify for EI, CERB, or have a drop of +25% in household income. Applies to tenancies and co-ops. Ask MLA staff perhaps can assist/can advise re forms on-line. https://www.bchousing.org/BCTRS
12:22:56 From Abby S: @andre there should be a recognition that the pandemic has created extraordinary circumstances and a moratorium should be imposed..this is another instance of how important it is for those who are affected MUST be part of the solution and not have it imposed from above. This is a recurring theme.
12:23:11 From Pat Petrala: BC RENT Bank Vancity Foundation Call (604) 877-8453 info@bcrentbank.ca Provides interest free loans to low income renters who facing eviction. NOT a COVID19 specific program – ongoing. https://bcrentbank.ca/about-bc-rent-bank/
12:23:52 From Pat Petrala: SOURCES Advocacy, HOUSING & Prevention Services CALL 604-596-2311 appointment 8:30 am – 4 pm M-F Newton Resource Centre #102 – 13771 72A Ave, Surrey Help find safe and affordable housing with ongoing supports (re. income supports, benefits, tenancy, other) to remain housed – includes Housing First for chronically/episodically homeless individuals. SEE also www.AskAnAdvocate.ca,
12:24:00 From André Darmanin: @abby I think the private landlords, as opposed to property managers, are less lenient.
12:24:24 From Pat Petrala: Sources BC RENT Bank: For more information CALL 604-596-2311 srb@sourcesbc.ca offers micro-loans for rental and utility arrears, damage deposits, first-month’s rent and crisis situations – let’s talk. We may issue low income individuals and families a one-time crisis loan for residents of Surrey, White Rock, Langley and Delta. The aim is providing families with loans to prevent homelessness due to a one-time unexpected circumstance. We may provide a loan for up to $1,200 for a single person or up to $1,600 for a family. OR Apply on line at https://www.sourcesbc.ca/our-services/sources-rent-bank
12:24:26 From Lisa Helps: In response to this question: Does it make sense to try to hold a government accountable to an objective that is 15 years away as opposed to something that can be achieved in 1-2 terms? We need to set goals of # of units that need to be delivered PER YEAR to hit 2030 target. Just like addressing climate change, we can’t start in 2029. So the accountability should be committing to a number of units per year that we need to meet then 2030 goal and then delivering those.
12:25:48 From Sarah Bradley to All panelists: What role can the development industry play in designing buildings that allow for better health outcomes and resilience to future shocks like the pandemic?
12:26:13 From Meera Mathew: Thanks Lisa^
12:26:21 From Mary Huang to All panelists: what about some non traditional options such as acquisition fund for no profit housing or getting government and other pension funds such as PSPIB or CPPIB
12:26:44 From Sarah Bradley to All panelists: (Asking from a Toronto context where I believe about 44% of residents live in tower apartments.)
12:26:53 From Mary Huang to All panelists: to invest in rentals like OMER/Oxford properties
12:26:54 From Ashley Michell: Smithers B.C no longer has a shelter. The homeless population is growing. Covid has closed what shelter there is, they have changed it to people of emergency that can access the shelter. Which means if there is a fire. So our homeless population can’t even access the shelter here. It is unfor
12:27:00 From Robert Dalgleish: The new United Property Resource Corp of the United Church of Canada has committed to 5000 new affordable unit in the next 15 years through the redevelopment of church properties.
12:27:38 From André Darmanin: The problem we’ve had is this continuous short term thinking. When there is long term thinking, policy and changing government priorities, therein lies another problem. When will there be any consistency with long term priorities and commitments?
12:27:49 From André Darmanin: That’s more of a comment to @lisa
12:28:13 From David Crenna: It is important to recognize the obvious which is that what can be done quickly is the kind of thing that has been done recently: transfer cash to those in need; and seek to regulate behaviour in public. So how to move those into more permanent forms is the priority for the next year or so. We do need to shorten the goals, for sure. Most important is the better use of the exiating stock!
12:28:42 From Meera Mathew: Does anyone have any good resources on the economic impacts of homelessness on the community?
12:28:48 From Mary Huang to All panelists: if there are reasonable priced market rentals might help the affordable housing backlog
12:28:57 From Meera Mathew: ^ Canada specific
12:29:21 From Lilian Chau: it’s not just federal policy but municipal policies and regulations as that’s where the approvals of developments happen. bc housing had done a great job of buying up hotels to provide immediate housing. I think this can be expanded across Canada to deal with immediate crisis and provide stability to those that are homeless.
12:29:52 From Ashley Michell: The raise of rent every year is excruciating . Rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The homelessness is growing rapidly. Overcrowding homes, couch surfing, tenting in yards.
12:30:46 From André Darmanin: @lilian Provincial planning legislation that is inconsistent with the current realities, including racial and social equity is also a problem.
12:30:51 From Julieta Perucca: Hi Everyone! This is Julieta, Deputy Director of The Shift. For those of you who have been able to watch PUSH, I wanted to share with you Leilani’s new podcast where she continues the conversation with Fredrik Gertten (the director) and discusses some pressing issues related to the right to housing. You can listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1189295
12:30:56 From Anthony Manning: Place caps on STRs to deter speculation and free up housing?
12:30:57 From Angela Koh: That was also done in Toronto during the beginning of the quarantine, and the city is also borrowing Vancouver’s modular housing model.. I don’t know if we see strong or broad enough political t support housing first policy
12:30:58 From David Crenna: Good point! Don’t lose more stock from use, and acquire a lot more quickly!
12:31:27 From André Darmanin: @angela housing first in Toronto?
12:32:08 From Kaitlin Schwan to All panelists: Check out what a human rights approach to homeless encampments looks like in Canada.
12:32:27 From Kaitlin Schwan to All panelists: https://www.unhousingrapp.org/user/pages/07.press-room/A%20National%20Protocol%20for%20Homeless%20Encampments%20in%20Canada.pdf
12:32:36 From Abby S: We had Michael Bryant of CCLA previously..does the CCLA have a role to play in rights based housing?
12:32:40 From Abby S: If so what?
12:33:15 From Sian Lewis to All panelists: I find the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act recently adopted by the Welsh Government a brilliant example of governing from a human rights perspective
12:33:21 From Canadian Urban Institute to Kaitlin Schwan and all panelists: Hey, Kaitlin! Just wanted to let you know you sent that to panelists only – you meant to send it attendees, too, right?
12:33:43 From Leila Ghaffari to All panelists: An important element lies at municipal level. As long as municipalities depend on property tax revenu, market will rule with the “hidden” support of public actors. It is one thing to have housing as a human right and actually implement it in all territorial scales.
12:33:49 From Tracey Snook to All panelists: too many landlords, who had mortgage agreements with municipalities, reach end of mortgage agreements and have now decided to commoditize their property and sell to the highest bidder (gentrifying the property and the opportunity for safe and affordable rental rates) – when there is a profit motive, too few see the benefit for the triple bottom line and social benefit/social profit in the long term over their short term financial gain.
12:34:10 From Canadian Urban Institute: Reminding attendees to please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments. Thanks!
12:34:11 From David Crenna: Question: to what extent is the Canada Housing Benefit currently going to homeless people? Do we have data on that?
12:35:05 From Robert Dalgleish: We also need to address what is increasingly visible that Canadian social values are not uniformly in line with a ‘right’ to housing as an organizing principle of governance. Social Darwinism is strong. Evidence based research on the economic case of affordable housing is important to articulate.
12:35:11 From Sian Lewis to All panelists: I’m a ‘she’ and in Kamloops. I’ll post a link
12:35:15 From Irena Kohn: https://www.futuregenerations.wales/about-us/future-generations-act/
12:35:29 From Angela Koh: yes, it’s unfortunate how affordable housing development happening seems to attract divisive community action so ? of how to create a shared “housing first” agenda
12:35:59 From Catherine Boucher: CMHC should have encouraged acquisitions much earlier than just now. The REITS are gobbling it all up. Huge loss. Any way we can interrupt this now and look at a big push to have the stock moved to the non-profit sector?
12:36:21 From Anna Kramer: Why is CMHC so focused on home ownership and rent subsidies, where housing prices continue to rise and the rents and mortgages go to financial owners/bankers? Can’t we increase the share of de-commodified housing to protect against market failures/volatility instead? (eg public land trusts, co-ops, social housing, etc)
12:36:22 From Robert Dalgleish: Also, how do we cultivate more compassionate, collaborative, communal social values. How do we recover a sense of the ‘Commons” ie become commoners
12:38:30 From Angela Koh: yes, and there’s some work out of the bay area that is reclaiming the legal concept of “justice easements” to address housing needs
12:38:39 From Meera Mathew: How can municipal action /governments influence upper levels of govt. to adopt a constitutional right to housing / National housing first program?
12:38:41 From David Crenna: Well, the REITs are kind of on pause right now, so there is definitely an opportunity, as well as buying up and converting both larger family units and converting from offices to which workers from home are not travelling every day any more!
12:38:45 From Yvonne Kelly to All panelists: Bravo to that Leilani!
12:38:52 From André Darmanin: @anna the soon to be departing Evan Siddall spoke in December about the need to move away from the fixation from home ownership.
12:38:58 From Alynne Neault: So much opposition from neighbors and businesses when new shelters or modular housing plans are put in place
12:39:25 From Jill Atkey to All panelists: Good morning, everyone! Is the Federal government doing any work to amend legislation so that charities can build and operate mixed-income housing?
12:39:36 From Lisa Helps: @Lelani there is a national program that goes directly to local governments, Reaching Home. That program could be MASSIVELY scaled up in terms of dollars and tied to a right to housing. But the mechanism already exists.
12:39:45 From Abby S: @Alynna…yes. I fought my BIA for years who were adamantly opposed to even a mixed housing development
12:39:53 From David Crenna: True, it has to be fitted within the existing zoning and built format as much as possible…
12:40:03 From André Darmanin: There is plenty of legislation (assembly bills) out of California to watch when it comes to affordable housing.
12:40:22 From Carolyn Whitzman: There is a recent Recovry for All plan that talks about rapid acquistion of housing in a Housing First rights framework: https://www.recoveryforall.ca/report
12:40:40 From Abby S: CA/US has Section 8 housing rules, which has mixed results.
12:40:44 From Canadian Urban Institute: Reaching Home: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/homelessness/directives.html
12:40:48 From Angela Koh: @alynne exactly.. and let’s also name too what this opposition looks like too often given the racialisaion of poverty – predominantly white landowners versus racialised households and individuals.. the consultations around the thunder healing lodge in scarborough for indigenous women were viscerally ugly
12:41:04 From Carolyn Whitzman: The challenge, I am going to suggest, is getting Bill Morneau in Finance and Catherine McKenna in Infrastructure to make the necessary investment.
12:41:06 From Alynne Neault: @Abby – our BIA actually said we are ‘ghettoizing’ the downtown area with a new supportive shelter!
12:41:14 From Pat Petrala: BEQUESTS of Land and houses to Non Profits for Social and Rental should be progressive part of estate planning for affluent home/landowners – I observe Hospital Lottery seems to get these opportunities. Tax incentives?
12:41:39 From Anna Kramer: @andre Evan Sidall also tweeted that rent strikes were illegal, cynical and opportunistic, when tenant organizing is one of the only counterforces to the financialization of housing.
12:41:43 From David Crenna: We do now have finally, the equivalent of US Secton 8 in the Canada Housing Benefit…
12:42:03 From Scott Carnall: Is it possible for the panel to speak to the municipal governance? Even though we have a strategy many applications are halted by councillors who often bow to their wards especially mature communities which are predominant against medium density units never mind social and supportive housing. This obstruction forced higher dense and affordable projects to communities that do not have the infrastructure and access to essential services.
12:42:04 From André Darmanin: Section 8 and the vouchers that come with it is a horrible way to provide affordable housing to Americans.
12:42:08 From Barry Pinsky: Shouldn’t forget that Canada/provinces have long reported internationally as signatory to the ECOSOC Covenant
12:42:10 From Lisa Helps: Re @Carolyn Whitzman’s comment and McKenna and infrastructure. What if we started to think of housing as “well-being infrastructure”
12:42:43 From David Crenna: Yes FCM has been proposing for a long time a tax credit for rental owners who sell to non-profits!
12:42:45 From Carolyn Whitzman: @lisa, yes, housing IS essential health infrastructure
12:43:10 From André Darmanin: There is so much interesting discussion here both in the chat and with the panel. SO hard to multitask.:)
12:43:13 From Meera Mathew: I’m also wondering – specifically in relationship to homelessness – how do we ensure that in a housing first process that the design of housing takes into accounts the specific needs of marginalized groups and doesn’t just lump them into dysfunctional mega-establishments similar to the major shelters you find across Canada?
12:43:15 From Carolyn Whitzman: If housing is inadequate (as it has been in Long Term Care), people die. It is pretty simple at that level.
12:43:53 From Tracey Snook to All panelists: I think that in order to gain approval from development that there needs to be some kind of more high-level policy and language around the REQUIREMENT to provide a minimum number of affordable units in the development. Whether it be rental property or purchase of property, if there is a mandate that isn’t just a “housing strategy” and a “10 year plan” nice to have, but a requirement, that there be a long term, dare I even say PERMANENT requirement to maintain affordability at a certain percentage rate.
12:44:06 From Jeff Morrison: @Lisa Helps – Hello Mayor Helps! Just yesterday we released a 2021 federal budget submission calling for an economic stimulus package to focus on affordable housing, not “traditional infrastructure” as has been done in the past
12:44:26 From André Darmanin: YES @Jeff.
12:44:30 From Lisa Helps: @Jeff can you post the link here.
12:44:30 From Robert Dalgleish: Yes! We don’t just need houses. We need homes, which require a kind of community/village that can raise a child
12:44:41 From Angela Koh: great point! shelter and food are basic needs that need to be protected from being valued through commodification only
12:45:19 From Jeff Morrison: https://chra-achru.ca/news/submission-to-the-house-of-commons-finance-committee-2021-pre-budget-consultation/
12:45:37 From Anna Kramer: @ david, andre: unfortunately most zoning reform has avoided legalizing multiunit dwellings in wealthy, low density residential neighbourhoods, instead focusing intensification and upzoning commercial, industrial lands, major corridors, downtowns and areas with existing apartment buildings. It hasn’t addressed the spatial inequalities of existing hierarchical zoning.
12:45:47 From Leigh Bursey to All panelists: we also need a residential rent relief program to assist with the looming evictions due to COVID 19.
12:45:52 From Murray Lumley to All panelists: From East York, Toronto.
12:45:56 From Carolyn Whitzman: thank goodness we don’t treat health and primary education with a benevolence approach!
12:46:01 From Yvonne Kelly to All panelists: The experiment of passing the major responsibility for building affordable housing and rental housing to the market sector which started in the 90’s has failed miserably. A transformative approach requires that our federal government put itself back in the game of building and investing affordable housing. We had this program, it’s not like this has never happened in Canada before.
12:46:29 From Marion Goertz: Michael, what does it look like for “all Canadians to rally behind” the 2030 goal of appropriate housing for all?
12:46:39 From Mary Huang to All panelists: I love the Danish model for cohousing. with government help 10% of all housing are cohousing and there are other multigenerational models
12:46:46 From Hope Jamieson to All panelists: @Anna and even when it’s allowed in regulations, political will is highly sensitive to advocacy from wealthy populations who have time & resources to lobby.
12:47:26 From André Darmanin: @Anna Do we go to the Minneapolis model of eliminating most zoning? Of course the missing middle in Toronto, particularly in the Yellowbelt.
12:47:51 From André Darmanin: To the comment about Evan Siddall tweeting that out, do you have a link to the tweet?
12:48:03 From David Crenna: Anna, that’s the kind of change that needs to be pushed in a focused way now: zoning which equates to a very effective means of segregation for allegedly other goals…
12:48:19 From Anthony Manning: BC municipalities, with the exception of Vancouver (thanks to its own charter), need to partner with the province on this strategy. We not only look to Victoria for funding but direction as well.
12:49:24 From Sandra Willie: Yes Margaret! Thank you for sharing – many indigenous in the urban locations are in run-down homes or compromised homes.
12:49:25 From Anthony Manning: Surrey has the largest urban Indigenous population in Canada.
12:49:29 From Canadian Urban Institute: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1778974.Dispossessed
12:49:32 From Ashley Michell: The indigenous people on and off reserve rights to home. Where on the reserve there is not enough resources. Off reserve the urban indigenous people don’t get enough help from their people. They move to cities, away from their home. And they lose identity, a sense of belonging. The struggle is real.
12:49:45 From Carolyn Whitzman: Honesly @Andre, although permissive zoning, NIMBY etc. is important, th emost important issue is mandating housing at price points (and suitable size, repair etc.) to meet household income groups. And that will not happen without more construction and operating subsidy from senior government, probably delivered through non-speculative providers. Community land trusts, scaling up non-profits, and a federal strategy (currently not there) that will allow rapid acquisition are all key.
12:50:12 From Anna Kramer: @ andre: Minneapolis also, despite ‘banning’ single family homes, only allows slight or no height increases/intensification in most residential areas. The other problem with zoning reform that it doesn’t mean that new housing will be affordable. If it’s dependent on market-driven development, and the market supply is focused on meeting investor demand, then it’s not increasing supply of affordable housing.
12:50:19 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff: The Dispossessed, by Geoffrey York: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1778974.Dispossessed
12:50:38 From Anna Kramer: @Carolyn yes
12:51:05 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff: UNDRIP: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html
12:51:26 From Canadian Urban Institute: Keep the conversation going #right2housing #citytalk @canurb
12:51:35 From Haseena Manek: Sign up to hear more about The Shift at www.maketheshift.org!
12:51:56 From Pam Hine: we need more Margaret Pfoh!
12:52:15 From Ashley Michell: YESSSSS more Margaret Pfoh………..
12:52:30 From André Darmanin: @Carolyn. I concur. There does need to be more partnerships from all levels of government and non-speculative providers like non-profits. Land trusts are rarely used. Parkdale being the example and more communities need to find ways to use that mechanism to maintain and build affordable housing.
12:52:34 From René Babin to All panelists: great observation!
12:53:25 From Canadian Urban Institute: Sign up to watch two provocative and eye-opening documentaries about the right to home. Free and on-demand, all week long, July 24–August 2. https://canurb.org/right-to-home
12:53:25 From Carolyn Whitzman: @Andre – Vancouver CLT has 2,000 homes now – Milton Parc has been around for 30 years and has 500+ homes. Definitely Parkdale and Kensingon, but needs some scale!
12:53:42 From David Crenna: Go here to find out how REITs are doing right now: https://reitreport.ca/canadian-reits/.
12:54:30 From Spencer Baldwin to All panelists: Thank you so much for meeting.
12:54:33 From Carolyn Whitzman: Acquire existing buildings and homes and turn them into housing for homeless people!
12:54:35 From André Darmanin: @anna “Affordable housing” is so subjective.
12:54:43 From Anna Kramer: @Andre @Carolyn yes. public-community land trusts, like Vancouver CLT have scalable potential.
12:54:55 From Sandra Willie: Yes Margaret!!! So true.
12:54:56 From ina wielinga: Agreed!
12:55:09 From Anna Kramer: @Andre, yes, affordable not being tied to market rates, but to ability to pay.
12:55:16 From Canadian Urban Institute: You can find transcripts and recordings of today’s and all our webinars at https://www.canurb.org/citytalk
12:55:22 From Carolyn Whitzman: Yes Anna. Scale. and as Margaret is saying, services. That requires $$$ I’m afraid.
12:55:26 From Sandy White: Totally agree with Margaret!
12:55:29 From Chris Bell: Absolutely Margaret — as a former residential property manager, I often felt called to act as a social worker in some respects (without training, unfortunately!)
12:55:56 From André Darmanin: YES RUTH!
12:56:07 From Carolyn Whitzman: @Ruth has great ideas – extend RTA to include rights and extend moratorium.
12:56:30 From Canadian Urban Institute: What did you think of today’s conversation? Help us improve our programming with a short post-webinar survey – https://bit.ly/2CPIdJy
12:56:38 From Taleen D: Yes 100% everything Ruth just said!
12:56:45 From Leigh Bursey: the LTB would benefit from the context of human rights immediately if our government ever put the housing advocate in place.
12:56:52 From David Walsh to All panelists: The Federal Government is planning to spend $19 billion on new fighter jets. THIS IS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM FOR PROVIDING MORE FUNDS FOR HOUSING. We need to call for those funds to be diverted to housing and other humanitarian needs. This is a great opportunity to build cross-sector support.
12:57:13 From Shona van Zijll de Jong: Wow – great ideas, discussion. Panelists are so engaged today.. This must be Part 1. Keen to participate in Part 2…
12:57:33 From Carolyn Whitzman: We can’t wait for the housing advocate. The fed govt must stop Bill 184 on a rights basis!
12:57:36 From Leigh Bursey: A displaced person isn’t interested in jurisdiction. They’re interested in safety and sustainability.
12:57:58 From Tracey Snook to All panelists: yes at @YIMBY!
12:58:01 From Chris Bell: There is soooo much research that suggests rental/affordable housing has virtually NO impact on property values
12:58:18 From Sheila Perry to All panelists: Really pleased to hear Leilani’s emphasis on the human rights of everyone. This should be the next step in policy with the National Housing Strategy. Great discussion and sharing!
12:58:20 From Leigh Bursey: The federal government has accidentally created an environment where Bill 184 can thrive by not having the advocate in place.
12:58:27 From André Darmanin: @Anna, @Carolyn.. Let’s continue this conversation Check me on Linked in and/or Twitter. Andre Darmanin
12:58:41 From Laurie B to All panelists: Hi everyone, I’m Laurie, Communications Manager at AHMA BC, if you want to continue the conversation wth Margaret Pfoh and the work she does for Indigenous Housing please connect with us on social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked in AHMA BC!
12:58:51 From Carolyn Whitzman: oh no, Linked in! I’ll try Twitter!
12:58:57 From Negin Minaei: Agree with rent control! This should be done both for rent and selling price. There is no control on mechanism to monitor the market and have a selling range for a property, landlords decide how much they like to sell. In other countries like UK, there is a proper real estate system and database with lots of criteria that controls the real-estate market and prices.
12:58:59 From David Crenna: True about property values, but you still need to take that argument away if at all possible…
12:59:05 From Pat Petrala: October 15 – 21 is HOMELESSNESS ACTION WEEK. BC info & links visit www.stophomelessness.ca to find out more
12:59:15 From Anna Kramer: @Chris, @Michel, Isn’t the goal to reduce the cost of housing? Meaning ultimately a drop in property values, after years of disproportional rise above inflation and incomes.
12:59:23 From Canadian Urban Institute to Laurie B and all panelists: Hi, Laurie! Can you send that to attendees too? You can change your settings in the chat window. Thanks!
12:59:46 From Leigh Bursey: leighbursey@gmail.com Anne send me more details friend.:)
12:59:57 From Laurie B: Hi everyone, I’m Laurie, Communications Manager at AHMA BC, if you want to continue the conversation wth Margaret Pfoh and the work she does for Indigenous Housing please connect with us on social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked in AHMA BC!
13:00:21 From Chris Bell: @Anna — completely agree. To get there, I think we need to also address the fact that many rely on property values for retirement etc. (“asset-based welfare”)
13:00:23 From Ruth Goba, BLACK LEGAL ACTION CENTRE: Thank you for including the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) in this critical discussion.
13:00:27 From André Darmanin: I will connect with Margaret and Ruth via Twitter.
13:00:38 From Ashley Michell: Mesi Chyo (Thank you), for the discussions for right to home.
13:00:56 From Taleen D: YES Leilani! Absolutely.
13:00:57 From Faryal Diwan: Thank you!!
13:00:57 From Anna Kramer: Thank you all!
13:00:58 From Robert Dalgleish: Thanks to everyone!
13:00:59 From Anthony Manning: Thanks to everyone!
13:01:05 From Nemoy Lewis to All panelists: Thanks to you all for a great discussion
13:01:21 From Beverly Allard to All panelists: Thank you to all – wonderful dialog!!
13:01:22 From Cherryl L: Thank you everyone for the engaging discussion!
13:01:24 From Canadian Urban Institute: Sign up to watch two provocative and eye-opening documentaries about the right to home. Free and on-demand, all week long, July 24–August 2 https://canurb.org/right-to-home
13:01:24 From Hannah Brais: Thank you all!
13:01:24 From André Darmanin: Thank you everyone. This was awesome. Great panel
13:01:33 From David Crenna: Yes, and it’s $4 trillion in home owner equity for 67% of households, so how do you succeed in threatening that seriously?
13:01:35 From Jaclyn Silbernagel: Thank you!!
13:01:35 From Kathryn Fredericks: Can you send the link to these recordings
13:01:36 From Taleen D: Thank you for this conversation!
13:01:38 From Anna Kramer: @Chris yes, other forms of livelihood different from real estate investment
13:01:39 From Olwen Bennett to All panelists: Thanks everyone!
13:01:40 From Lisa Helps: Thanks all. Another rich and fulfilling discussion! Thanks for the active chat too and for sharing all these great links all!
13:01:41 From Carolyn Whitzman: Thanks – great panel!
13:01:45 From Sharon Dorion: Thanks everyone. Great discussion
13:01:45 From Pat Petrala: Merci – Thanks you. Look forward to next session and follow up with local Council and community.
13:01:55 From George Tchanturia: Thanks a lot…
13:01:58 From Leila Ghaffari: Thanks everyone. Great panel.
13:01:59 From BBUTT: Land trust… also check out City of Vancouver VAHEF. Metro Van Regional Housing also has a large public asset base. both essentially “land trusts”
13:02:00 From André Darmanin: I’m already following CHRA!
13:02:10 From Jared Dielwart: Thanks everyone! Appreciate the time and insights!
13:02:15 From Sophia Garza: Great discussion and awesome panel! Thank you!
13:02:19 From Alison James: Great discussion, thank you.
13:02:24 From ina wielinga: Thank you so much. Great panel and discussions.
13:02:27 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff: https://canurb.org/citytalk-news/?type=recent_discussions
13:02:28 From David Crenna: Thank you!
13:02:30 From Caroline Poole, CUI Staff: Find recordings here!~
13:02:35 From Kaitlin Schwan to All panelists: Thank you all!!!!
13:02:37 From Yvonne Kelly to All panelists: Brilliant discussion Thanks to all panelists!