A decade ago, 28 per cent of all homes in Hamilton were worth less than $250,000.
—–> Today, just 3 per cent are.
In 2013, 88 per cent were worth less than a half million dollars.
—-> Today, just 11 per cent.
At the top end, a decade ago, fewer than 1 per cent of homes were worth more than $1 million.
—-> Today, 23 per cent are.
(Data from a study released last week by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation)
Housing Solutions Exist in Hamilton.
Hamilton has the ability to house everyone living in encampments but without federal and provincial funding, we can’t move ahead. That was the basic message from a panel at Christ Church Cathedral that you can watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iacmW43h3Ww (Start at 18:25.)
Participating were the Rev. Monica Romig Green, left, Jeff Nevens of Indwell, Tom Cooper of the Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction and Michelle Baird of the city. Indwell and other housing providers can build 400 supportive housing units in 18 months, enough units for all those on Hamilton’s streets last fall. But we need thousands, not hundreds, of units, Nevens said. Cooper said the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters can bridge the gap between the street and housing about two dozen people while new housing is built.
What’s Needed is Federal and Provincial Funding
—-> We need governments to show the same urgency they displayed in response to the pandemic. Specifically, we need significant federal and provincial funding to build those units. All the panelists encouraged people to talk to their MPPs and MPs to urge action.