homelessness among families in toronto's buildings - emily paradis
TRANSCRIPT
Nowhere Else to Go: Inadequate Housing and Risk of Homelessness
Among Families in Toronto’s Aging Rental High-‐Rises
Emily Paradis, University of Toronto [email protected]
The Study • High-‐rise apartment tenants in the inner suburbs and Parkdale (private market & TCHC)
• Random sample of all rental apartment units in Toronto built between 1950 & 1980
• Oversampling in high-‐poverty clusters • 3200 persons interviewed in 2009 – 2010 • This study based on 1566 families with children • Focus groups with 100+ service providers and 30+ parents
• Examining inadequate housing, risk of homelessness, and hidden homelessness
Socio-‐demographic indicators
81% 82% 37% 47% 50% 30% 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Racialized Immigrants Lone Parent Families
Sample
Toronto
Immigrant Status
Newcomer, under 5 years 35%
Recent immigrant, 5.1 -‐ 10 years 21%
Long-‐term immigrant, 10+ years
26%
Canadian born 18%
At Risk of Homelessness “At-‐Risk of Homelessness” includes 2 categories: • Precariously Housed: Facing housing challenges that may or may not
lead to homelessness in near future, such as – Unaffordable housing – Bad housing condi[ons – Overcrowding – Unsafe housing
• At Imminent Risk of Homelessness: Facing poten[al loss of housing, due to – Evic[on – Inability to pay rent – Violence / abuse in the home
See Canadian Defini[on of Homelessness at hdp://www.homelesshub.ca/Library/Canadian-‐Defini[on-‐of-‐Homelessness-‐54225.aspx
Indicators of Inadequate Housing • Unaffordable Housing: 50% or more of household income is spent on
rent and other housing costs
• Overcrowded Housing: More than 2 persons per bedroom
• Unsafe Housing: Resident has changed rou[ne due to safety concerns • Insecure Housing: Resident has been behind in the rent in the past
year (risk of evic[on)
• Bad Unit CondiMons: The unit required 3 or more repairs, and the landlord did not fix all of them
• Bad Building CondiMons: The building has two or more of the following condi[ons: frequent elevator breakdown, pests and vermin, and / or broken entrance locks
Inadequate Housing Indicators
22%#
23%#
27%#
32%#
46%#
50%#
0%# 20%# 40%# 60%#
Insecure#Housing#
Unsafe#Housing#
Bad#Unit#Condi<ons#
Unaffordable#Housing#
Bad#Building#Condi<ons#
Overcrowded#Housing#
Risk of Homelessness Index • Adequately Housed:
0 indicators
• Inadequately Housed, Moderate Risk of Homelessness:
1 – 2 indicators
• Severe Risk of Homelessness:
3 – 4 indicators
• CriMcal Risk of Homelessness:
5 – 6 indicators
Risk of Homelessness Index
3%#
30%#
56%#
11%#
0%# 10%# 20%# 30%# 40%# 50%# 60%#
Cri+cal#Risk#of#Homelessness#586#indicators##
Severe#Risk#of##Homelessness#384#indicators##
Moderate#Risk#of#Homelessness#182#indicators##
Adequately#Housed#0#indicators#
Immigrant Status
18%$
33%$
37%$
35%$
20%$
23%$
21%$
16%$
33%$
26%$
25%$
28%$
29%$
18%$
16%$
20%$
0%# 20%# 40%# 60%# 80%# 100%#
Cri/cal$Risk$of$Homelessness$
Severe$Risk$of$Homelessness$
Moderate$Risk$of$Homelessness$
Adequately$Housed$
Newcomer# Recent#Immigrant# Long8term#Immigrant# Canadian8born#
Immigrant$Status$All$Families$in$the$Study$
Risk of Homelessness by Low Income
100%
83%
68%
47%
18%
32%
53%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
CriMcal risk (3%)
Severe risk (30%)
Inadequate, some risk (56%)
Adequate housing (11%)
Low-‐Income (At or Below Cutoff) Not Low-‐Income (Above Cutoff)
Source of Income
47%$
58%$
67%$
80%$
45%$
37%$
29%$
15%$
0%# 20%# 40%# 60%# 80%# 100%#
Cri0cal$Risk$of$Homelessness$
Severe$Risk$of$Homelessness$
Moderate$Risk$of$Homelessness$
Adequately$Housed$
Employent# Government# Child#Support# Other#
Sources$of$Income$All$Families$in$the$Study$
Reasons for Moving
14%$
24%$
34%$
54%$ 9%$
23%$
17%$
18%$
12%$
14%$
15%$
14%$
25%$
13%$
8%$
15%$
15%$
0%# 20%# 40%# 60%# 80%# 100%#
Cri.cal$Risk$of$Homelessness$
Severe$Risk$of$Homelessness$
Moderate$Risk$of$$Homelessness$
Adequately$Housed$
To#buy#a#house# To#be#nearer#work# Too#expensive#Require#bigger#unit# Poor#maintenance# Too#unsafe#Other#
Reasons$for$Moving$All$Families$in$the$Study$
Risk of Homelessness by Neighbourhood
Adequate
Moderate
Severe
Cri[cal
Mid-‐Scarborough
Dorset/Kennedy
Weston/Mt. Dennis
Jane/Finch
Rexdale
Thorncliffe/Flemingdon
Parkdale
Total
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
How Inadequate Housing Affects Families
• Overcrowding: Increases stress and conflict • Bad building and unit condi[ons: Associated with poor health among children
• Unaffordable housing: Drives housing choices; linked to hunger
• Unsafe housing: Experiencing crime more common among families at higher risk
• Insecure housing: History of evic[on creates barriers to new housing
Housing Loss & Hidden Homelessness • Newcomers double-‐up “temporarily” • Severity of risk differs between groups • Housing loss common among low-‐income families
• Causes: Violence, evic[on due to unaffordability, poor condi[ons
• Families double-‐up to stay close to home • Hidden homelessness and shelter stays genng longer
• Finding new housing impeded by discrimina[on, low income
Barriers to Adequate Housing for Migrant Communi[es
• Income: Low wages, precarious employment, low social assistance rates, benefit cuts
• Housing: High rents, bad condi[ons, wait lists • Shelter: inaccessible, long stays • Immigra[on & integra[on: discrimina[on, changing policies
• Landlord rela[ons: Disrespect, racism & sexism; insufficient enforcement by City
• Services & access: Childcare
Par[cipants’ recommenda[ons • Mul[-‐lingual educa[on & enforcement on discrimina[on, human rights, tenant rights
• Eliminate “Canadian credit history” and “Canadian experience” requirements
• Increase wages & government transfers • Build more affordable housing • Housing stabiliza[on services: rent banks, Housing Stabiliza[on Fund
• Family shelters in all neighbourhoods • Make services available to all families – not only those in TCHC or shelters
• Children’s services
What can be done?
1. Federal: First, Housing 2. Province: Inclusionary Zoning 3. Province: Housing Benefit 4. City: Standards Enforcement & Tenant Rights
Family Homelessness in Toronto’s Inner Suburbs
View the full report: hdp://neighbourhoodchange.ca
Funded by Homeless Partnering Strategy, HRSDC
and by Social Sciences and Humani[es Research Council of Canada
Emily Paradis, University of Toronto, [email protected]