Yorkton Council received a closer look at the Housing Needs Assessment Study which it had previously mandated.
"The purpose of this study is to explore and identify current and emerging housing challenges regarding availability, affordability, adequacy suitability and accessibility in Yorkton," explained Faisal Anwar, the City's Economic Development Officer at the regular meeting of Council Monday.
The report noted that, "In general, gaps in housing continuum of Yorkton exist for each and every group living in Yorkton. Rental and ownership housing costs are well beyond the affordability range of many Yorkton residents. Particularly affected are young couples and lone parent families, and some individuals who are entering in the workforce. Yorkton is facing a challenge of providing an affordable, adequate, suitable and accessible housing to the residents. The city needs to provide a long-term solution to this challenging issue, so that all of the groups living in Yorkton can have a chance to get access to an affordable, adequate suitable and accessible housing."
Anwar said Phase II of the study is now complete.
"Phase II involved consultation with the community representatives and relevant stakeholders to validate housing availability and affordability challenges, and get better understanding on current housing adequacy, suitability and accessibility issues in the City," he said.
To accommodate Phase II, a number of focus group meetings were held with groups involved in housing, including financial institutions, housing industry professionals and health and social services providers.
"The participants indicated that housing availability is the key issue prevailing Yorkton's housing market.
Specially, the shortage of rental housing restricts working professionals and youth to move in Yorkton for work on short-term or long-term basis, and accept a job offer where they can find housing. This situation is considered to be one of the major barriers in coping with skilled/semi-skilled labour force shortage to manage economic growth of the City. The participants indicated the need of market based rental and low cost entry-level ownership housing in Yorkton," detailed material circulated to Council Monday.
Affordability was also identified as a major housing issue.
"The participants indicated that substantial increase in average housing price and rent in the last two years makes housing unaffordable for singles, single income families, young families, and low-wage workers as wages are not increasing at the same rate. The cost of housing restricts youth to leave the nest and live independently. Affordability is an issue as some of the people have had to move due to their social assistance allowances are not keeping up with rental increases. Also some subsidized units are going off subsidy with CMHC, which will lead to rent adjustment at market rates for subsidized housing managers to cover overhead expenses that means more affordability problems to the lower income groups. For those individuals who receive social assistance, affordable housing in Yorkton is unrealistic," stated the material.
Other housing issues include housing adequacy, suitability and accessibility.
As a result of the work some housing priorities were identified.
"The study identified that market based rental, low cost entry-level, student, transitional and accessible housing for people with disabilities, seniors, and subsidized housing for low income families should be given priority for housing provision," detailed the report.
In terms of solutions, "Secondary suite development, smaller lot development for entry-level housing, bylaw revisions, housing task force, strategy development, integrated and mixed housing," were identified.
In addition, incentives for housing development and renovations, innovative solutions for housing, community involvement in housing development, rent control, public-private ventures, out-reach housing program, urban reserves, taxation reforms and lobbying for housing were identified as possible solutions to Yorkton's housing challenges, were mentioned as possible avenues to improving housing availability.
As a result the study recommended that "the City develop a five-year Community Housing Plan to accommodate housing needs of all groups living in Yorkton. Also encourage secondary suite development to increase the rental housing stock in the city, and develop smaller residential lots in the new subdivisions for low cost entry-level housing development."
The report was filed by Council.
