Hello Ward 12,
Recently, The City of Calgary released the 2023 Housing Needs Assessment. This report highlights how serious and urgent this issue continues to be. Based on 2021 data, there are 84,600 households in need, which means that they earn less than 65% of the Calgary median income and spend 30% or more of pre-tax income on shelter costs.
This figure is staggering. Nearly 1 in 5 households cannot afford their current housing. On top of that figure, there are uncounted households that have not been able to enter the housing market as a renter or owner, due to the high costs. In just the last three years, the median cost to buy a detached home has increased 37%.
In order to purchase a detached home, the income level for a household would need to be $156,000 to no longer be below the needs threshold in Calgary. Those at risk will struggle with other basic needs or start looking elsewhere to live while the city prices them out.
Rental costs are skyrocketing too. An average household income of $84,000 is needed to adequately afford average market rent in 2023. In 2022, the figure required to meet the same threshold was $67,000. We can no longer claim to be a livable city if these figures continue to climb.
The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy is a multi-part plan that aims to address these issues and more. It provides specific actions to address rental housing, market housing, and, most importantly, non-market or subsidized housing. We need a multi-pronged approach if we want to truly address these challenges.
On September 14, Council will be presented with the Housing Strategy and will have a chance to take bold action by accepting the recommendations. The time to act is now. We are in a housing crisis in this country, and our city can be a leader. Please consider reaching out to me or your City Councillor to give your feedback on the Housing Strategy and the associated actions.
Please reach out anytime via email at ward12@calgary.ca, call the office at
403-268-1698 or follow us on social media for regular updates:
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Sincerely,
Cllr. Evan Spencer
www.evanspencer.ca
www.calgary.ca/ward12