To address housing insecurity in the Town of Claresholm, local organizations conducted a Housing and Service Needs Estimation to support local decision-making, advocacy, and program development.
The report was completed in partnership with the Rural Development Network (RDN) and the Claresholm Family and Community Support Services (FCSS).
Emma Wallace, Program Manager of Community Development at RDN, presented the results of the report to Claresholm Town Council during the June 9 regular meeting.
The goal of the project was to better understand housing insecurity while collecting evidence to support decision-making, including demographic information, service use, and gaps in the community.
“Most importantly, we were looking to elevate and incorporate the voices of folks who are experiencing housing insecurity in Claresholm,” Wallace said.
She explained that homelessness is a spectrum, and housing insecurity is an umbrella term that includes individuals who are considered unsheltered, emergency sheltered, provisionally accommodated, or at risk of housing homelessness.
When collecting information for the report, the RDN worked with service providers throughout the month of February this year.
Throughout the month, 150 surveys were received, with 102 deemed suitable for analysis.
The survey determined that 78 per cent of respondents identified as female and 20 per cent as male, with the majority between the ages of 25 and 44, followed closely by 45 to 64.
“Looking at demographics of housing insecure respondents specifically, we start to see some concerning trends,” Wallace said. “Respondents identifying as women were 3.7 times more likely to be housing insecure than their male counterparts.”
The survey indicated that 100 per cent of racialized respondents, over 80 per cent of Indigenous respondents, and those born outside of Canada are housing insecure.
“These trends aren't unique to Claresholm, but it is important to consider these trends in the community as we look to address housing insecurity moving forward,” Wallace said.
Based on survey results, there were at least 231 community members experiencing housing insecurity in Claresholm.
The contributing factors included low rental vacancies in the town, high rent and mortgage rates, and a lack of pet-friendly rental options.
“Only do the majority of housing insecure respondents already have a job, but sometimes having a job just isn't enough,” Wallace said.
To understand service use and gaps in the community, respondents were asked which support services they frequently access, with basic needs, family and parenting, and health and wellness at the top.
“Lack of transportation was identified as a significant barrier for respondents,” Wallace said.
Based on the data collected, three opportunities were identified to address housing insecurity such as fostering community awareness and understanding of housing insecurity, increasing awareness of and access to services, and encouraging sustainable housing growth.
Recommendations included promoting programs and services to support residents, developing an action plan to fill service gaps, conducting a housing needs assessment, conducting community engagement sessions to address concerns and misconceptions, and implementing a Housing First philosophy in Claresholm.
“While there is ultimately a shared responsibility and a shared role in developing responses to housing insecurity, in my experience communities most often succeed when strong municipal support and leadership champion these efforts,” Wallace said.