Housing

ACORN Tenant Engagement Report - Retrofits

Successful energy retrofits can specifically benefit residents of low‐income apartment buildings. Programs like TowerWise show that retrofits can lead to a 30% reduction in energy and carbon usage. Energy efficiency programs can also have up to a 2:1 cost‐benefit ratio. Retrofits of low‐income housing can potentially result in the co‐benefits of carbon reduction, energy efficiency, and costs savings, as well as positive health outcomes. On a macroeconomic level, retrofits can reduce the need for government spending on health and energy subsidies, which can be redirected to other types of social spending for low‐income Canadians.

Forced Out: Evictions, Race, and Poverty in Toronto

This study, conducted by the Wellesley Institute, aims to add to the knowledge on evictions in Toronto in three ways. First, it describes the numbers and rates of formal eviction applications in Toronto 2010-2018. Second, it maps their geographic distribution. Third,it correlates formal eviction application filing rates with census tract sociodemographics of renter households from the 2016 Census to uncover who may be at increased risk of eviction. In order to examine these questions, we use administrative data from the Landlord and Tenant Board, and 2016 Census data.

 

Stand Up for Housing in Surrey

Posted on August 6, 2020

This report focuses on the housing crisis in Surrey in BC. Based on the victories secured by BC ACORN members in several other cities in BC, including in Burnaby and New Westminster, the report underscores the need for urgent measures that the city government in Surrey can take to address the existing housing issues and protecting tenants' rights in Surrey.

Read this report to learn how we can win municipally to end the housing crisis in Surrey. 

 

État des locataires pendant COVID-19 - Rapport d'enquête

Posted on April 29, 2020

 

COVID-19 a changé nos vies comme jamais auparavant en apportant un ensemble unique de problèmes. Cependant, ces défis deviennent encore plus complexes pour les personnes qui vivent déjà en marge. Les statistiques continuent de brosser un tableau sombre en ce qui concerne l'accès à des logements abordables et sains au Canada et avec la pandémie COVID-19, la situation ne fera qu'empirer, en particulier pour les locataires et les personnes à faible revenu ou appartenant aux sections les plus vulnérables du population. ACORN Canada a contacté 1082 personnes à travers le Canada pour comprendre les problèmes auxquels les gens sont confrontés pendant la pandémie, en particulier ceux liés à leur capacité de payer le loyer car elle arrive à échéance le 1er mai et les problèmes qu'ils rencontrent. dans leurs immeubles / appartements car le manque d'entretien et de réparation pose un risque majeur pour la santé publique, en particulier lors d'une pandémie. Ce rapport présente les conclusions principales de cette enquête et les mesures urgentes que les gouvernements doivent prendre pour garantir que les personnes en marge obtiennent le soutien dont elles ont besoin en cette période de crise sanitaire et économique.

 

State of Renters During COVID-19: Survey Report

Posted on April 29, 2020

 

COVID-19 has changed our lives like never before by bringing a unique set of issues. However, these challenges get even more complex and compounded for people who are already living at the margins. Statistics continue to paint a grim picture when it comes to access to affordable and healthy housing in Canada and with the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation will only worsen especially for renters and those on low-income or belong to the most vulnerable sections of the population. ACORN Canada reached out to 1082 people across Canada to understand the issues people are facing during the pandemic, especially those relating to their ability to pay rent as it falls due again on May 1st and the problems they are encountering in their buildings/apartments as  lack of maintenance and repair poses a major public health risk especially during a pandemic. This report provides the main findings of this survey and calls for urgent measures that governments need to take to ensure that people at the margins get the support they need in times of this health and economic crisis. 

 

Herongate: The Case for RentSafe Ottawa

Ottawa ACORN's campaign for a landlord registry similar to Toronto's RentSafe bylaw is based on over a decade’s worth of community organizing, as well as the countless experiences of our low to moderate income members shared through forums, phone calls and home visits. For the past 13 years, ACORN organizers have gone door-to-door in low-income neighbourhoods, where the state of people’s housing remains their number one concern. ACORN sees the implementation of a landlord registry as an opportunity to address the gaps in our current property standards system; to ensure that everyone’s right to housing is protected and that every tenant has a healthy home.

Ottawa ACORN’s Response to Maclaren Group’s Policy Options Report on Housing Conditions

Ottawa ACORN members are in the final sprint for their campaign for landlord licensing. After convincing city council to include landlord licensing as part of the City's "regulating rental accommodations" review, members have organized Tenant Speak Outs, days of action at City Hall, door knocked in bad apartment buildings, released reports, engaged the media and have met with the City's consultants three times. The consultants from Maclaren Group have released their report on policy options for housing conditions and are asking for feedback before submitting their recommendations to City Hall. 
 
Read Ottawa ACORN's response here: 

Housing Horror Stories: The Tenants' Case for Landlord Licensing in Ottawa

This collection of tenant testimonials shows that the City of Ottawa needs to do more to improve housing conditions.
 
Tenants are living in substandard conditions without the necessary support to allow them to stand up to landlords and have their needs met. The Property Standards By-law has more procedural steps and delays than most by-laws in addition to any notice of violation being unenforceable.
 
The City's review on regulating rental accommodations is a good first step in addressing tenants' very real concerns regarding the state of their housing. It is Ottawa ACORN members' hope that this sample of housing horror stories will demonstrate to our city that substandard housing conditions is a systematic issue that warrants urgent attention. We need landlord licensing NOW!

ACORN Canada’s submission to the Increasing Housing Supply in Ontario Consultation

As an organization of low and moderate income people, the issue of housing affordability is a priority concern for our members. Specifically, our members are concerned about the desperate need for deeply affordable rental housing that is affordable in the long term. Almost half of Ontario renters live in unaffordable housing. Yet since 1990, less than 9 per cent of new developments in the province have been rental housing. Urgent action is required to address this housing crisis, we call upon the provincial government to take leadership to create real affordable housing options.

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