Affordable Housing
Having a place to call "home" is a basic human right, and where that place is can have a major influence on your quality of life.
Advocates of affordable housing encourage cities to ensure that most, if not all, areas of the city include housing that is affordable for all income levels. This promotes pride in individuals and families, which leads to greater community involvement and improved quality of life.
In Canada, "Affordable Housing" means that the cost of housing does not exceed 30% of a household's gross income.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is, affordable housing is becoming a bit of a dream and less of a goal.
With student loans weighing most young people down, cost of living always on the rise, banks taking away 0 down payment options. It is becoming increasingly hard to become a home owner in St. John's.
Personally, I had to leave the province like many others. I pray I can come back and find a reasonable paying job, but I need to pay off my student loan in FULL here in Alberta before I can even consider buying a house back home. What makes matters worse, with the ridicules prices houses are going for in St. John's; it is very comparable to the price of houses here in Cold Lake Alberta. Minus the higher wages.
The unfortunate fact about it, St. John's or Newfoundland in general is not making it easy to come home and live. And trust me, on behalf of 90% of the newfies away from home, we ALL want to come back home.
Affordable housing means subsidized housing. Provincial and city governments need to co-operate to create such units, but NOT in segregated areas. Working families should be helped to purchase such homes; unwaged families should be able to rent. And groups such as the Stella Burry Foundation should receive grants to create accomodations for single people who cannot manage market-driven rents.
In Vancouver creating affordable housing has meant the city purchasing land for future development in partnership with the Province. The city has also required that developers accommodate a certain % of non-market housing in new major developments (or pay in to the city housing fund).
Check out the successful co-ownership scheme in Northern Ireland: http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/co-ownership_association
In Vancouver creating affordable housing has meant the city purchasing land for future development in partnership with the Province. The city has also required that developers accommodate a certain % of non-market housing in new major developments (or pay in to the city housing fund).
Check out the successful co-ownership scheme in Northern Ireland: http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/co-ownership_association
I don't think people should be crammed into apartments. It is not home if you hear others up over you or underneath you or on either side. I don't call that home! I am fortunate enough to have a place although I hear others around me. The rent is also sky high and what about the working poor or those of us who cannot work full time because of certain limitations. I think there needs to be a cap put on rental properties. Doctors and Lawyers own alot of apartment buildings here in the city. do they even care or understand the plight of the underpaid or poverty stricken people. No I think not! Also if they are going to build new buildings, they all should be soundproofed by law. Noone should have to hear other people in their home. I think it is a very deep invasion into the privacy of others. It needs to be changed and what can I do about it. I am just one person. Is it possible that the person there can soundproof themselves to they don't have to listen to other people. It can be traumatizing.