The City of Airdrie has released its 2024 Houselessness Estimation Study, which will be presented to The Community Safety and Social Services Standing Committee on Tuesday.
According to the study, conducted from March 11 to May 15, 166 responses were gathered from Airdrie residents experiencing housing insecurity through local service providers and online platforms.
Among the respondents, 92 per cent were residents of Airdrie, with most having lived there for three or more years. This indicates that housing insecurity primarily affects long-term residents.
The top three reasons cited for housing insecurity were high housing costs (rent/mortgage exceeding income), health challenges (including illness, mental health concerns, and physical disabilities), and low vacancy rates, with an estimated one per cent of rental units available in Airdrie.
"In addition, survey respondents also reported that another 173 dependent children (under the age of 18) and 191 adults were also living with them at the time of the survey," the study stated.
The survey revealed that 530 residents in Airdrie were housing insecure during the survey period. However, the study underlined that this figure likely underrepresents the true number due to challenges in reaching the 'hidden homelessness' population and non-participation from many residents who felt overwhelmed.
"Nonetheless, the 166 respondent surveys represent information-rich cases which offer new and critical insights into the nature of housing insecurity, and characteristics of the population experiencing housing insecurity, in Airdrie," the study continued.
93 per cent of the respondents were aged 15 to 64, comprising Airdrie's labour force. 55 per cent were employed, mostly in full-time positions. Income data revealed that 34 per cent of respondents earned between $22,001 and $55,000 annually, while 19 per cent earned between $55,001 and $88,000. This indicates that individuals with moderate incomes were still experiencing various forms of housing insecurity, highlighting the issue's complexity.
In its summary of the study, committee documents highlight that, according to the findings, most respondents were either provisionally accommodated (25 per cent) or at risk of houselessness (69 per cent), with five per cent identified as unsheltered and one per cent as emergency sheltered.
Those who were unsheltered or emergency sheltered stayed in violence-against-women shelters, emergency shelters, or makeshift accommodations like vehicles and tents. It should be noted that Airdrie does not have a 24-hour emergency shelter available within the city.
Provisionally accommodated individuals lived in hotels, with friends or family, or in unsafe conditions. Many faced violence or unwanted situations for housing, while others resided in medical facilities or overcrowded homes. At-risk respondents struggled with high housing costs, paying over 30 per cent of their income on rent and living in homes needing major repairs.
The study enumerated barriers to accessing services in Airdrie, including language differences, long wait times for health, wellness, and financial support programs, and a lack of awareness about available services. Additionally, residents faced transportation challenges within Airdrie and Calgary, communication issues due to cut-off phone services, and pride, which often prevented them from seeking help.
The study added that service providers have identified significant gaps, particularly in housing availability and affordability.
"Specifically, they highlighted the need for a hub for clients experiencing housing insecurity to access case management services and use bathing facilities, particularly during after-hours or on the weekends. Related, service providers indicated no programming or ability to do “wellness” checks with housing insecure residents," the study stated.
Providers also underlined that wellness checks for housing-insecure residents tend to fall outside their organizational mandates.
"Service providers also indicated a need for affordable and transitional housing to support housing insecure clients who are looking to re-integrate back into society after experiencing unsheltered or emergency sheltered housing insecurity. It was also shared that Airdrie needed prevention for houselessness, a focus on long-term solutions, and the City to advocate on their behalf for structural changes."
Committee documents noted that the study highlights the need for a multi-faceted approach to address houselessness, identifying four critical opportunities for tackling housing insecurity in Airdrie. Airdrie has begun implementing aspects of the 2024-2030 Affordable Housing Principled Action Plan and is working to enhance community awareness of houselessness; however, these initiatives must be continually updated based on research findings.
The next steps could include exploring a partnership in 2025 with a local organization to pilot a systems navigation approach to provide timely support to vulnerable residents at risk of becoming unhoused.
"Administration is now equipped with the data required for advocacy to higher orders of government to fund solutions at the lower end of the housing continuum. Exploring funding and advocacy opportunities for the City of Airdrie will be a key priority for the Administration."
The document concludes that with Airdrie's population poised to reach over 100,000 in the next few years, the City’s sustained commitment, investment, and effort in long-term housing for all residents is imperative.
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