Housing

Did you know? A household is in core housing need if housing is not of adequate size, not in adequate condition, or costs more than 30% of before-tax household income. With a vacancy rate of 1.7% (3% is considered optimal), many of our neighbours are unable to find safe, secure, and affordable housing.

The Housing Action Group is made up of social housing managers, health promoters, women’s shelters, legal advisers, housing service agencies and homelessness prevention agencies.

Housing is a basic need and a human right. Prioritizing safe and affordable housing creates safe and healthy neighbourhoods. Rental vacancies are low in Bruce County (1.4%) and Grey County (1.7%). A healthy vacancy rate for any community is 3%. The percentage of renters in core housing need is high in Bruce County (29%) and Grey County (30.5%). Understanding the realities of creating safe and affordable housing in Grey Bruce draws upon the invaluable expertise of our Community Voices. Their first-hand knowledge of systemic barriers is contributing to co-creating innovative solutions with members of our Housing Action Group. Multi-sectoral collaboration between social service agencies, governments, businesses and people with lived/living experience of poverty has been recognized as a core principle of effective poverty-reduction work. The recognition of people with lived/living experience or “grounded expertise” as context experts alongside government, business, and non-profit counterparts challenges power imbalances.

RentSafe EquIP (Equity-focused intersectoral practice) created safe and creative spaces for people to come together – as human beings and neighbours rather than as service providers, decision-makers or clients – to generate the kind of understanding and commitment that is needed to tackle the significant and urgent problem of housing inadequacy. Giiwe Project is an inter-agency collaboration led by M’Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre to reduce off-reserve Indigenous homelessness. Giiwe Circles brings together 20 organizations to strengthen relationships, promote culturally safe practices and trust. It incorporates cultural safety training, collaborative case management and relationship building to increase Indigenous leadership within the homelessness sector. This has led to improved collaboration and understanding of Indigenous practices, and a reduction in Indigenous homelessness. The role of Community Voices and Indigenous community voices in Giiwe Circles counters the tendency for housing service providers in leadership positions to dominate agendas, discussion, and ultimately, decisions. The grounded expertise of these individuals adds strength and resiliency to poverty-reduction work. Their first-hand knowledge of systemic barriers is invaluable in co-creating innovative solutions to overcome them. Such diverse involvement can also help to identify the issues simmering below the surface, that impede positive change.

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