Housing – Affordable for All

The OWN Housing Committee

The Committee’s overall objective is to formulate projects that will alleviate some of the many challenges faced by mid-life and older women in finding suitable affordable housing.

Kristen Wong Tam and OWN members

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and OWN members

 Current Activity

#accessivote –

To remind politicians that people with disabilities vote – So listen up!

#accesselfie – What’s that?

You’ve all heard of a “selfie” – Maybe you’ve even taken one of yourself.
If you use any sort of mobility aid, whether a cane, a walker, a wheelchair or something else, we’re asking you to take an “accesselfie” and post it on Twitter, or Facebook, or in an email or some other social media with the hashtag “#accesselfie” and a comment about the need for accessible housing.
For example:
If housing is a human right, why doesn’t that include people who use wheelchairs? Change the Building Code.
#accesselfie

Modernized access symbol
A new access symbol that shows a human figure moving forward in a wheelchair, referred to as the dynamic symbol of access, will gradually replace the traditional, static wheelchair image at City-owned properties. Council agreed to endorse the modernized symbol, as recommended by the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee and informed by the Forward Movement campaign. Council also supported asking the Ontario government to adopt the new symbol.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES

Daniels Condos:

Daniels Corp. now includes universal design suites in all their new projects.

Daniels Accessibility Designed Program

You can visit Daniels Accessibility Designed Program website  https://danielshomes.ca/daniels-adp/  

For more information email  info@danielscorp.com
or call (416) 598-2129

Have you written to your MPP? 

It’s time for us all to write your letters to your MPP.

Information for contacting your current member can be found here:

https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

We are asking everyone to write to their MPP  (all parties), as well as the Premier and the Ministers of Health, Accessibility, and Housing.

Our sample letter is below, which can be used as is or can be adapted. It is certainly more effective if people add their personal circumstances and concerns, but the important thing is to contact the politicians, even with one or two sentences.

Please pass this request along to anyone who might be willing to write or speak to their politicians.

Tell everyone that Toronto City Council has endorsed this campaign.

Thanks.

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SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ………

Re: Urgent need for universal design apartments and condominiums.

Whatever their age or ability, everyone needs a home, and preferably a home they will not have to leave due to accident or illness.

At present, thousands are forced out of their homes, at the most vulnerable time in their lives, simply because the home is not built to be barrier-free or easily adaptable when needed to become barrier-free.

The result is overflowing beds at hospitals and long term care facilities, and long waiting lists.

Just imagine the difference if the Ontario Building Code required that all units in new multi-unit residential buildings were 100% accessible, instead of the current 15%, and if all used universal design principles.

Universal design allows spaces to accommodate anyone of any age or ability, going beyond mere accessibility.  It demonstrates an underlying commitment to including as wide a range of users as possible for a “lifetime of changing needs and abilities”.

As of 2017, Statistics Canada reported that 22% of Canadians live with some form of disability. That’s almost 1 in 4. And the numbers are growing as you and I age.

Many people, including many builders, believe that universal design costs a great deal more than conventional design.  However, CMHC reports that the cost of building a new apartment is the same whether it is accessible or not. Australia’s new national building code mandates that ALL new housing must be universal design, so anyone of any age or ability can live there.

It is renovation to conventional housing which is prohibitively costly.

I urge you to ensure the Ontario Building Code Section 3.8.1.1 is revised immediately in keeping with the legal requirements under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code to recognize all persons with disabilities as people first, by making universal design mandatory in all rental and ownership apartments.

Thank-you for your support of this urgently needed change.

Sincerely,

“Living in Place and Universal Design” project. This campaign consists of presentations to builders, developers, politicians and the general public to help remedy the desperate shortage of accessible and barrier free housing. Universal Design housing excludes no one and is suitable for all ages and abilities. Please click on the link above, or the submenu item for more information, or to follow this campaign.

Building Code effective July 2017 Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy Update

Overview Summary – Potential Changes To Ontario’s Building Code. To see the entire document, click the link below:
http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page14998.aspx#InterimAmendments

The accessibility section is totally inadequate:

OWN Housing Literacy Series – 2011 to 2013

In January 2011 we launched a free public lecture series designed to educate ourselves and others. This housing literacy series “What Really Works in Creating Affordable Housing?” features speakers on various types of affordable housing, from supportive housing to low-cost rental and ownership.

Sept. 18, 2013
Downsizing and Living Smarter Workshop
Speakers addressed living small, downsizing, hoarding and evictions.

Nov. 16, 2012
Abbeyfield: An Affordable Living Alternative for Seniors
Elizabeth Power, President of Abbeyfield Houses Society of Canada, gave us details on how they create small friendly seniors’ residences that provide both independent living and companionship.

Feb. 13, 2012
Building Seniors’ Life Lease Apartments
Deirdre Gibson explained how churches or communities finance, build and sell life lease apartments, keeping seniors in their own neighbourhoods.

Nov. 9, 2011
Opening of the YWCA Elm Centre
Heather McGregor, YWCA Toronto, discussed how the YWCA raised funding to build a 300-unit complex for women and girls.

May 17, 2011
Woodgreen Community Housing
Ulli Groppler explained how this large and highly respected nonprofit is able to manage 700 rental units, providing housing and services for over 1000.

Jan. 20, 2011
Options for Homes
Michael Labbé of Options, a developer and marketer of “cost-effective” condos, explained how they save money and provide access to additional financing.