AFFORDABLE HOUSING NOT PART  OF CONSERVATIVE PARTY DEFINITION

(These thoughts are purely the blunt, no nonsense personal opinions of the author and are not intended to provide personal or financial advice).

“Creb now” (published by Calgary Real Estate Board) June 24 to June 30, 2016 states:

‘housing officials increasing rates of overcrowding or “underhousing”  in Calgary’s housing market….Resolve says about 3,500 Calgarians were considered homeless in a recent survey, with about 14,000 at risk for homelessness – and that doesn’t include people “couch-surfing”…we know fundamentally that number is up.  It’s hard to get a handle; people are one paycheque away (from homelessness) or aren’t in appropriate housing.’

 

Appropriate housing definition is interesting.

‘Under the Social Housing Accommodation Regulation, such housing is considered overcrowded if more than two people must share a bedroom, with at least one individual in each of the other bedrooms, and if an individual over 18 “must share a bedroom with another member of the household,” or someone over the age of five has to share a bedroom with “an individual of the opposite sex.”  (Spouses or partners sharing a bedroom don’t count)…..”Affordable housing is intended to be appropriate housing-appropriate to needs of families.   If children age in place or additional children are welcomed into a family, they can transfer within the system…subject to availability.”

“Calgary Herald”, June 29, 2016 ‘City takes aim at failing affordable housing plan” states:

‘just 1,048 new affordable housing units created in Calgary over the past 14 years, the need for affordable housing was great in 2002 and it remains so today.  Calgary has half the amount of affordable housing as the national average, and a total of zero affordable housing units have opened in the city in the past three years….the city wants to see 1,500 affordable housing units built in the next two years – more than the number built in the past fourteen years – and staff believe it’s a goal that’s possible given money pledged from the provincial and federal governments, both of which have recently signalled a renewed commitment to affordable housing. Housing a homeless person has been shown to save taxpayers $34,000  annually….Currently 88,000 Calgary households earning less than $60,000 are in need of affordable housing.’

ANALYSIS

Married or coupled family units tell singles to go live with someone if they are having financial problems.  According to the definition above of appropriate housing this means singles appropriately should not live in a one bedroom apartment with one person couch-surfing, but should live in at least a two bedroom apartment.  By the above definition married or coupled family units with no children can live in a one bedroom apartment.

Affordable housing units of 1,048 divided by 14 years equals only a total of about 74.9 affordable housing units having been developed annually in Calgary.  In fact, zero units were opened in the last three years.   Calgary has 1.23 million population as of 2015.  The number of affordable housing units for a city this size is pathetic.

Alberta has essentially been under Conservative government for many years.  Alberta had a Conservative party in leadership for 40 years until New Democratic Party won the election last year.  During the Conservative reign (particularly in the latter years) money was squandered in what were essentially boom years because of the oil boom.  Oil, government and business persons and families became wealthy because of Conservative policies which favoured the rich. The Conservatives always talked about the Alberta Advantage. Federally, the Conservative party was in leadership for ten years until the Liberals won the election this year.

Right wing Conservatives have done nothing to provide affordable housing for singles and poor families except to line their own pockets and the pockets of their voters.  Just what is the purpose of politicians and political parties if they don’t provide government by the people and for ALL the people? Singles and the poor are not considered to be part of the ‘people’ definition.  There never was an Alberta Advantage for singles and poor families, only for the rich and the middle class.

(This blog is of a general nature about financial discrimination of individuals/singles.  It is not intended to provide personal or financial advice).