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Halifax Housing Needs Assessment & Development Plan

The Halifax Housing & Homelessness Partnership aims to end homelessness and housing poverty, using evidence-based strategies. Study geographies include urban and rural areas, analyzing housing demand, supply, and continuum. Affordable housing is a critical issue, especially for low-income households. Future trends suggest a shift towards rental housing and increased need for non-market options. Next steps include informing policy development, engaging stakeholders, and exploring housing affordability strategies.

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Halifax Housing Needs Assessment & Development Plan

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  1. Halifax Housing Needs Assessment Planning & Development

  2. Housing & Homelessness Partnership • The Halifax Housing and Homelessness Partnership is a multi-stakeholder coalition committed to working together to put an end to homelessness and housing poverty in the Halifax Regional Municipality. • The Partnership is committed to evidence-based approaches to developing solutions. • Project identified by the Affordable Housing Working Group • Study undertaken by SHS Consulting in partnership with CBCL and JozsaEconomics (Nov. 2014 – July 2015)

  3. Housing Needs Assessment

  4. Research Questions

  5. Study Geographies • Regional Centre • Halifax Urban • Dartmouth Urban • Bedford/Sackville Urban • Commuter West • Commuter North • Commuter East • Rural Res./Agricultural

  6. Housing Demand

  7. Housing Demand

  8. Housing Supply

  9. Housing Continuum 4% 34% 62%

  10. Affordability Analysis (2011) • 41,785 households (25.2%) spent 30% or more of household income on housing costs • 26,215 (47%) of these were renters & 15,570 (15%) were owner households • 19,570 households (1 in 8) were spending 50% or more of household income on housing • Core housing need is another measure of housing affordability – in 2011 20,415 households (13%) were in core housing need

  11. How does Halifax compare? Source: SHS, 2015 and 2011 Census

  12. Where is the greatest need? Source: SHS, 2015 based on 2011 Census

  13. Who needs non-market housing? • 33,070 households (20% of all households) earning less than $29,566 were spending 30% or more of their incomes on housing costs & can’t afford average market rent without paying more than 30% • 15,195 households (45% of the 33,070 households) had incomes of less than $17,065 per year.

  14. Housing & Income Continuum

  15. Households with Low Incomes • 29.9% of all lone parent households • 43.1% of all one-person households • 32.1% of all recent immigrant households • 27.2% of all households with a person who has a disability • 27.9% of all households led by an Aboriginal person • 50.4% of all youth households (those led by someone aged 15 to 24 years) • 26% of all senior-led households (those aged 65 years and over) • 37.4% of all renter households

  16. Input from Housing Service Providers • Need more housing options which are affordable and safe • Need for more long term care/ nursing home beds • Groups with particular challenges include: low income individuals and persons with mental health issues, addctions and/or concurrent disorders • Current programs do not address the needs of larger families prevalent in diverse communities • Opportunities: a more coordinated approach to providing housing and supports • Barriers: lack of funding and increasing cost of housing

  17. Input from Private Sector • Rental housing affordability a key issue • Social assistance is inadequate to afford housing • There is a sufficient amount of housing units, particularly rental housing units • The gap is in the supply of housing which is affordable to households with lower incomes • Opportunities: stimulate the creation of housing through a rental subsidy program • Barriers: planning barriers; restrictive policies; lengthy planning approval process; and the cost of land and construction costs

  18. Key findings • 20% of the households in the Municipality (30,030 in 2011) are not able to afford average market rent and may require non-market housing. • These households are earning $29,566 or less in 2014 • Households in need of non-market housing include a high proportion of: • lone parent households, one-person households, recent immigrants, persons with a disability, Aboriginal-led households youth households, and senior-led households.

  19. There is a need for a range of housing options throughout the Municipality but the Regional Centre has the greatest number and proportion of households facing affordability challenges. • There is a need for a sufficient supply of rental and ownership housing options affordable to low and moderate income households (those earning $29,567-$52,266 per year).

  20. Future trends • Shift of residential development to urban areas • Shift to rental housing • Lower demand for ownership housing • Aging population • Smaller households • Need for non-market housing will continue and is expected to increase

  21. Next Steps • Inform the Housing & Homelessness Partnership Work Plan • Inform policy and program development of individual Partners • Engage a broader spectrum of stakeholders on housing issues • CPED request for staff reports on: • Potential of the community land trust model • Ensure no net loss of affordable housing during redevelopment • Potential of inclusionary zoning • Quantify the # and types of below market units needed • Engage on housing affordability during the Centre Plan process

  22. Thank you

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