Ms. Michelle Bested, Manager Engagement and
Social Enterprise, Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, SFU provided a summary of the
What We Heard Report – Your Voice. Your Home. Meeting the Housing
Needs of Burnaby Residents.
The speaker invited Task Force
members to read the full report which is divided into an executive summary,
outcomes of the Community Ideas Workshop, Community Housing Survey,
Community Student Ambassadors (CSAs) and Next Steps.
The report presents a detailed
overview of all public input collected during Phase One. Data and ideas were
collected from 1,450 survey respondents, 180 registrations for the Community
Ideas Workshop (100 participants in attendance), 10 CSAs who met and spoke
with approximately 400 residents, 350 registrations for the Community
Recommendations Workshop and extensive online and in-person engagement.
Key survey results included:
·
36%
of renters (including those under 30 years of age) spend more than 1/3 of
their income on housing;
·
over
20% of renters live in fear of demoviction;
·
53%
of respondents under 30 years of age anticipate having to move for financial
reasons;
·
64%
of renters anticipate having to move for financial reasons;
·
57%
of respondents under 30 years of age find their current housing costs
unaffordable; and
·
more
than half of respondents under 45 years of age anticipate needing a larger
living space in the next 10 years, while respondents over 45 were more likely
to downsize.
The 10 CSAs were either current
students or recent alumni of SFU.
Over a three week period, the CSAs utilized
their language competencies and aptitude for facilitating dialogue to engage
with 25 community organizations in small informal community discussions.
They also engaged residents at Burnaby libraries, SkyTrain stations, parks,
coffee shops and the YMCA. The CSAs targeted specific demographic groups that
were underrepresented in the online survey and/or the Community Ideas
Workshop, reaching more than 400 families, newcomers, youth and senior
residents.
The following summarizes the six key
profiles and their respective challenges:
STUDENTS AND YOUTH
·
access
to affordable rental housing;
·
areas
that are convenient and transit accessible are expensive;
·
don’t
expect to be able to stay in burnaby; and
·
students
prioritizing income over education.
FAMILY HOUSING
·
not
sufficient space for children and/or growing families; and
·
landlord
restrictions regarding employment, number of people, and pets.
NEWCOMERS
·
references,
employment, or internet access are barriers;
·
prevalence
of racism; and
·
lack
of familiarity with tenancy regulations.
SENIORS
·
isolation
and loneliness; and
·
home
care assistance.
RESIDENTS FACING DEMOVICTONS
·
impact
on mental health;
·
losing
connection with communities; and
·
availability
of comparable housing.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
·
removal
of housing accessibility; and
·
wait
times for assisted living programs.
KEY SOLUTIONS:
·
make
information regarding housing support for persons with disabilities more
accessible;
·
more
co-op housing units designated for specific groups;
·
create
and fund a physical location where tenants can go to seek assistance and
information;
·
placement
before displacement;
·
provide
more accessible housing information regarding tenant rights and landlord
responsibilities;
·
provide
safe housing, low barrier shelters and emergency housing in burnaby;
·
convert
single family homes into multifamily dwellings; and
·
better
enforcement regulations regarding landlord obligations and responsibilities.
The What We Heard Report is
available on the City of Burnaby website.
|