Mounting concerns from renters after release of Calgary housing report
Posted Sep 9, 2023 10:08 am.
The head of a Calgary affordable housing agency says she’s not surprised by the bleak housing statistics released by the city this week.
The City of Calgary Housing Needs Assessment report found that not only has the cost of a detached home increased by 37 per cent over the last three years, but you’d have to make $156,000 a year to adequately afford it.
The situation isn’t looking much better for future apartment owners, as over $70,000 a year is needed to buy one in Calgary.
Calgary’s market is even tougher for those not looking to buy — at least $84,000 is needed to afford the average rental in 2023, up from $67,000 in 2022.
The number of households in housing need in 2021 was 84,600, according to the city — an increase of 4,600 from the 2018 assessment.
As a result of these staggering costs, more and more are renting as a result.
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Bernadette Madjell, CEO of Homespace, says it’s causing distress among renters.
“I think what makes things worse is that it’s challenging for people to meet those incomes,” she told CityNews.
So, we have a huge number of people making difficult decisions every day on how to allocate their money because they don’t make those salaries that are needed to have housing.”
Average rent increased by 40 per cent compared to 2021, while rental vacancy in the city is only three per cent.
Madjell also says the increased prices are an accurate reflection of our reality.
“In a market where there was increased vacancy, we might have had private market landlords a little bit more forgiving or a little bit more tolerant if rent was late or there was any kind of arrears. Now, with so much demand for the existing housing we have, they don’t have to hold on to units and work with existing residents anymore,” Madjell said.
“So we’re seeing just added pressures both from the private market as well as the nonprofit.”
For example, she says some are eating less, and going to school or work hungry just to afford their monthly housing costs.
WATCH: City of Calgary to urgently address housing crisis
According to an online statement by Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, the Calgary Homeless Foundation has 237 families waiting for supportive housing at this time, up from 173 last year and 30 from 2021.
She said in a column written for the Calgary Herald published Saturday that the city will be examining more than 60 recommended actions, including making more land available for affordable housing, getting homes built quicker and offering financial incentives.
The three key drivers she mentions as part of the housing strategy are identifying and selling city-owned lands to create housing, offering a $10,000 incentive to create secondary suites, and leveraging the Downtown Calgary Development Incentive Program by allocating $50 million in bridge financing toward the construction of student housing.
“Asking post-secondary partners to find a way to ensure that 25 per cent of this student housing is set aside for international students further addresses a growing need,” she explained.
More information on Calgary’s housing strategy can be found online.
