Shifting Landscape

Early in 2019, HHAC members began to identify major shifts to the landscape of both rental and home ownership within the city of Windsor. Some of the changes reported include but are not limited to: 

•  Windsor vacancy rates dropped dramatically from 14% in 2008 to 3% at the end of 2018. Although the rental market improved, a trend of increasing vacancy decontrolled rent amounts emerged and continues to drive market rents to a point where low to moderate households are unable to find affordable, safe housing. This trend is also seen in home ownership housing costs which have significantly increased for both new and resale homes thus shutting out low to moderate income households.
•  Social Housing providers have also seen a dramatic reduction in the number of people who are not moving from social housing units as the private rental market is way beyond their household income.
•  Another factor that continues to be of grave concern for HHAC is the significant rise in active applications on the Central Housing Registry which has reached an all -time high of 5834 as of November 29, 2019. This breaks down to 63 SPP (Special priority) 510 P11 (Homeless designation) and 5261 individuals, couples and families on the Chronological list.
•  HHAC will be monitoring the implementation of new regulatory changes coming from the Province in early 2020. For example; a simplification of rent calculation, the number of choices for applicants to social housing, changes to wait list management and support for community safety in social housing developments.

Plan Moving Forward

All members of HHAC recognized that its workplan needed to be bolder, result driven and aligned with the recommendations within the Windsor Essex 10-year Housing and Homelessness Master Plan. 

HHAC was pleased to see and support new housing development happen through the city- wide CIP program; and the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation was successful in its application to create the first municipally funded affordable housing development in the past 30 years. Funding for the development was also provided by Federal and provincial governments resulting in a true collaboration from all three levels of government. The building will have 145 units with a mix of affordable and market rental suites.

Through the introduction of the Windsor Essex By-Names Prioritized List we saw an increase in the number of partnerships that are being formed which will provide housing and supports for the most vulnerable populations such as Youth, Seniors, Indigenous and Homeless individuals. With partnerships comes support so that tenancies will be lasting.