Affordable housing needs a game plan
Re Affordable housing shortage critical issue, Sept. 25 David Olive has nicely captured most of the salient features in the expanding affordable housing crisis that squeezes, among others, millennials. However, the solution misses one key factor: the factors of housing production remain largely unexamined.
The World Bank, in a recent ranking on the ease of doing business in 187 countries, ranked Canada at 118th in “Dealing with construction permits.” This reflects a serious systemic problem in the process of getting housing projects approved and built.
To be sure, NIMBY issues are serious, but there are other deeper roots to the housing-supply problem. An inefficient planning and development process reduces supply and increases costs relative to demand. Why housing costs what it does remains unexamined by policy makers. That’s strange as such analysis is in the socioeconomic interest of governments at all levels.
Pair supply-side analysis with the other demand-side reports collecting dust and give it to a team to pull together (including the various levels of government busy pointing fingers at each other).
Olive is right; this challenge can be met. But teams don’t win without solid backing, a captain and a clear game plan. Richard Lyall, Newmarket
Affordable housing is a major factor contributing to hunger in Toronto. With the greater portion of one’s salary or pension going to rents, very little is left for food. I am surprised that this has not become a major issue in municipal, provincial or federal politics till now.
Ontario housing is not the answer. What is needed is government incentives for developers to build affordable rental apartments, which are no longer available. Renters are left with renting decrepit one-room apartments or paying sky-high prices to condo owners.
Gail Nyberg of the Daily Bread Foodbank deserves thanks for carrying the burden alone in making sure that those lacking sufficient funds for both housing and food do not go hungry. The federal election is our chance to at least hold government accountable nationwide. Dina Moyal, Innisfil