Latest news with #HousingNeedsAssessment
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Affordable homeownership in Ottawa dwindling as mortgages, costs soar: study
A study from the City of Ottawa suggest that thousands of homeowners are experiencing heightened vulnerability in the housing market due to soaring mortgage rates and costs. Article content According to the 2024 Housing Needs Assessment, the proportion of homeowners in Ottawa paying $2,000 or more per month for housing costs nearly tripled from 2006 to 2021 (from 11.5 per cent to 34.2 per cent). Article content Article content Article content The percentage of homeowners paying between $1,500 and $1,999 per month dipped from 20.4 per cent in 2006 to 17.8 per cent in 2021. Article content Article content The proportion of homeowners paying less than $500 per month for housing also decreased by nearly three quarters, while the percentage paying $1,000 and $1,499 a month dropped by almost half. Article content The report also said the proportion of homeowners paying between $500 to $999 a month increased slightly from 29.1 per cent in 2006 to 31.5 per cent in 2021. Article content 'Affordability in Ottawa's ownership market has consistently eroded, with fewer households able to secure housing at lower costs,' the report read. Article content 'Yet, despite these cost changes, median home prices have remained relatively stable, suggesting that ownership expenses are being driven more by higher borrowing costs, taxes and other financial pressures than by price inflation alone.' Article content Article content The report said median housing prices increased by 1.6 per cent year-over-year from December 2023 to December 2024, from $620,000 to $630,000. Article content By housing type, the largest increase was in median townhouse prices, which increased from $550,000 to $580,000 (5.5 per cent increase). This is followed by apartments, which increased from $390,000 to $398,000 (2.1 per cent increase) and single-family homes from $750,000 to $755,000 (0.7 per cent increase. Article content However, median housing prices jumped by more than 64 per cent since 2018, when the median housing price was $382,952. Article content Meanwhile, housing starts have fallen. The number of housing starts peaked between 2020 to 2022, when numbers were consistently above 11,000. However, that number dipped to 9,245 in 2023 and 6,800 in 2024. Article content 'Housing starts have fallen to a decade-low, limiting future supply growth,' the 2024 Housing Needs Assessment reads. Article content 'Planned zoning changes may create opportunities for more diverse housing options. Still, with rising development costs and economic constraints on construction, affordability improvements will likely remain constrained in the near term.' Article content Core housing need (CHN) is said to be a key measure of housing instability, according to the 2024 Housing Needs Assessment. It identifies households that lack adequate, suitable and affordable housing without access to alternatives in their local market. Article content It is also a measure of heightened vulnerability within the housing market, the report added, with many residents spending well beyond affordability thresholds. Article content 'Households in CHN are not necessarily at risk of homelessness, but do face heightened vulnerability, with many spending well beyond affordability thresholds with few viable options,' the report said. Article content Article content According to the report, there were 92,895 people in CHN in Ottawa in 2021. The largest group was those aged 25 to 54 at 34,025 (36.6 per cent). Around 25,295 people were children and youth aged zero to 17 years (27.2 per cent) and 15,220 people were seniors aged 65 years and over (16.4 per cent). Article content The groups with the fewest people in CHN were young adults aged 18 to 24 years at 8,630 people (9.3 per cent) and older adults aged 55 to 64 years at 9,725 people (10.5 per cent). Article content 'Over 25,000 children and youth live in households in core housing need, placing added strain on parents and caregivers who must balance housing costs with other essentials. Children in core housing need may face disruptions in education and social stability, particularly if housing conditions are unstable,' the report read. Article content The report also suggested that the number of owner households in CHN decreased from 12,655 in 2016 to 11,865 in 2021. Article content Article content Proportionally, 26.7 per cent of all households in CHN in 2021 were owner households. This is a slight decrease from 2016, when it was 26.8 per cent. Article content City staff suggested that the decline in homeowner CHN numbers was likely influenced by temporary income supports during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). Article content The report noted that many households that briefly exited CHN in 2021 may have re-entered in subsequent years. Article content The majority of households in CHN are also considered very low income or low income. Around 62.1 per cent of households (both renters and homeowners) in CHN in 2021 were considered very low income, while 48.1 per cent were considered low income. Article content 'While the proportion of households in core housing need decreased from 2016 to 2021, this does not necessarily reflect long-term improvement … Core housing need remains prevalent among very low- and low-income households, reinforcing the direct link between affordability and financial constraints,' the report read.
Ottawa Citizen
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Homelessness in Ottawa has reached a record high. What can be done about it?
Homelessness in Ottawa has reached its highest levels ever and will continue to worsen if 'additional investments' aren't made in housing, says a new city report. Article content The city's 2024 Housing Needs Assessment said that if additional funding isn't put into building homes, shelters and transitional housing, homelessness in Ottawa could increase by 58 per cent over the next decade. There could also be an additional 133,000 people at risk of experiencing homelessness during that time period. Article content Article content Article content 'These changes mirror broader affordability pressures and systemic barriers, reinforcing patterns of prolonged shelter stays and limited pathways out of homelessness,' the report said. Article content Article content Shelter demand continues to greatly outpace supply, according to the report. The number of available emergency shelter and transitional housing beds increased from 962 in 2022 to 1,960 in 2024, a more than 103 per cent increase. Article content However, demand for beds increased from 2,134 to 3,377, a 58.2 per cent increase, during that time. Article content According to the city's 2024 'Point-in-Time' count, which was conducted last October, around 2,952 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night. This was a 13 per cent increase since the last PiT Count in 2021 and a 78.5 per cent increase since the 2018 count. Article content The average nightly occupancy in Ottawa's shelter system also increased substantially from the first quarter of 2022 to the fourth quarter of 2024. Families made up the bulk of that number from 3,597 people to 5,350, which was around a 48 per cent increase. Article content Article content Article content Indigenous people remained overrepresented among people experiencing homelessness in Ottawa, the new report said. Article content They accounted for 19 per cent of people in the 2024 PiT Count despite making up only 2.6 per cent of the city's total population. The report said the total number of Indigenous people experiencing homeless has increased from 335 to 479 in 2024. Article content Most Indigenous people said low income or high rent costs were a barrier to securing housing. The report also listed several other barriers, including poor housing conditions, a lack of income assistance and mental health challenges.
National Post
18-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Letters: Regina tenants with issues should not feel intimidated by landlords
Within the City of Regina's 2024 Housing Needs Assessment Report i s the finding that some rental property residents feel maintenance of their accommodation is 'consistently neglected and they fear retribution if they complain.' Article content To be fair, most of the tenants consulted for the report were 'generally positive' about their experience. But it's disconcerting that in our city at least some tenants worry — justifiably or not — about negative ramifications if they complain about the condition of their rented accommodations. Article content Article content Article content In Minneapolis, such retaliation by a landlord is illegal. That local law is part of a broad rental property licensing strategy that states among other things: 'Minneapolis renters have a right to housing that meets minimum standards for safety and comfort.' Article content Article content Here in Regina, there is a significant number of rental properties with room for serious improvements. 'Seven per cent (6,735 units) of occupied housing is not considered adequate for occupants since the units require major repairs,' the report states. Article content What's more, the need for maintenance of city rental housing is destined to rise. A third of rental dwellings in the city were built between 1961 and 1980. More than half of all homes built before this period need some minor or major repairs. Article content So it stands to reason that the 20 per cent of homes built before 1960 will be needing some improvements. Allowing this basic right for tenants in Regina to justifiably complain is just one way this city should and could improve our community's rental property marketplace. Article content Article content Article content Former Liberal Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy is correct in accusing Prime Minister Carney of betraying Canadians by supporting U.S. President Donald Trump's 'Golden Dome' project. In the 1980s ,Canadians rejected the idea of Star Wars when it was advanced by President Ronald Reagan. Article content We recognized then that war in space was stupid and dangerous and would make nuclear war more likely. Now that a similar idea is being promoted by President Trump it must be rejected again. No, the 'Golden Dome' is not good for Canada. Article content Security can only be achieved with peace negotiations and treaties. Plus, we don't want to pay the estimated $850-billion cost! Canada has often played a positive role working for peace and disarmament. Canada needs to focus on such initiatives again and forget about Trump's hare-brained schemes.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Homelessness increased in Northeast TN, according to 2025 PIT Count
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – In January, the annual Point in Time (PIT) count surveyed the number of unhoused people in Northeast Tennessee. Now, the results are in and show homelessness has nearly tripled since 2020. In 2020, the PIT count found nearly 400 people without housing. This year, the number is over 900. The annual survey is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in order for organizations and local governments to receive federal funding to combat homelessness. Volunteers and social service agency members spend a night finding unhoused individuals and interviewing them to try and analyze trends. PREVIOUS: Northeast Tennessee PIT Count organizer discusses importance of taking census on homelessness Opal Frye-Clark is the President of the Unity Housing board. She believes there are more unhoused people than the survey found. 'This is a snapshot within a 24-hour period of time that you go out into the community, and you try to physically count the number of individuals experiencing homelessness,' said Frye-Clark. 'While there was a specific number that yielded results from this year, it doesn't necessarily encompass everybody that's experiencing homelessness.' Terry Burdett is the Homeless Management Information Systems Manager at the Appalachian Regional Coalition on Homelessness (ARCH). He said there are multiple reasons the number has increased, including rent hikes. 'We have an affordable rental housing problem, and our older folks that are on fixed incomes, they're struggling in our communities,' said Burdett. 'I'm not saying that we've got this huge increase on elderly homeless, but our demographics are aging just a little bit every year.' In Johnson City, rent has increased from 12% to over 17%, according to the 2025 Housing Needs Assessment. Report details changes in Johnson City housing Burdett also noted that 10% of the respondents said they are homeless due to Hurricane Helene. Both Frye-Clark and Burdett said the public can help by donating or volunteering at local homeless assistance centers and shelters. 'If you're going to get involved, I would check out the organizations that are already doing things,' Frye-Clark said. 'Support your local government in making decisions to increase the amount of housing opportunities for local individuals in the area.' 'A lot of our grants help with rental assistance,' said Burdett, 'but then we have the issues with 'how about kitchenware?', you know, dining stuff, a bed to sleep on, a couch to sit on. So those are things that are difficult to pay with the grants, but funding outside the grants system can help us.' The PIT count also showed an increase in unhoused people with severe mental health and substance abuse issues. 40% of those surveyed struggled with one or both of those factors. Burdett said he thinks there is no reason to believe these solely contribute to homelessness. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Report details changes in Johnson City housing
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Thursday morning, the City of Johnson City released its 2025 Housing Needs Assessment. The report analyzes certain trends and conditions to predict changes in housing needs in the next few years. The last housing assessment took place in 2023. Lexi Vance, Johnson City's economic development specialist, said there were many factors leading up to the decision to have an assessment. 'Around 2020, we saw a little bit of a spike in population and then we started seeing all these accolades roll in for Johnson City about us being a great place to live and then we also start seeing national headlines about a national housing affordability crisis,' Vance said. Vance said the report led to the city wondering where people were going to live. The 2023 housing assessment showed a housing gap of under 5,000 units. Back in January, the city decided to do another assessment to see if that number had changed. They found the gap had increased by almost 600 units. 'If you have children, if you have students you really like, if you have employees you really, like that may be younger, you want to keep them, and if there's nowhere for them to live, we risk losing them to other communities,' Vance said. Vance said the report also analyzes housing prices. She compared the findings in the 2023 and 2025 reports. 'For a single-family home, that actually fell by about $40,000, which we thought that was great news,' she said. Along with housing prices, Vance said there were changes in rent. 'We saw annual rent increases of 12% to 17.5% in that year. Our income went up quite a bit and we also saw more people become house owners or homeowners.' Vance said the new report will help the city make plans for the future. 'What it means is that we're trying to be smart about how we grow and prepare for a larger and healthy city.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
