Governments, and community partners demonstrate leadership by championing policies and interventions aimed at improving financial circumstances of low-income households.
We can all join in efforts to change the way we speak about food insecurity and limit the widespread misunderstanding of what it means to be food insecure.
Food is a necessary “consumable” along with heat and electricity. While housing is a necessity, it is not a consumable since the cost of use is based on a perceived value and the debt necessary to support this perceived value. I would suggest that the value of co housing or communal housing could go a very long way of reducing costs. Also, any single moms may love having the advantages of shared parenting.
Could you ever run a “matching” program where you teach what communal housing could do for you, how to deal with the legalize, what expectations there should be, how to share expenses, how to deal with interpersonal problems? You could even offer a home living consulting service (similar to marriage consulting) that could help families “settle in” with each other.
Running a matching program for communal housing is close to many new Home Share Programs that are filling a need in Grey Bruce. There are two that we know of running out of Thornbury and Owen Sound. Bruce County carried out a Home Share Feasibility Study last year. They are looking to work with partners to match people together. I have not seen it done with families yet. Just examples of seniors matched with older adults and/or students.