Much more than managers of residential buildings intended for vulnerable people, Quebec housing offices place people at the heart of their concerns.
By offering not only a roof over their heads, but also support to their tenants, they represent the springboard that propels them towards a better life, where everything becomes possible.
For more than 50 years, the housing offices united within the Regroupement des offices d’habitation du Québec (ROHQ) have participated in the sustainability and development of social and affordable housing in the province.
Photo courtesy of the Quebec Municipal Housing Office. Photo credit: Stéphane Groleau
Present in 17 regions of Quebec, these 149 housing offices which house more than 106,000 housing units help more than 170,000 low-income people (singles, couples, seniors, people with specific needs, families, etc.), which is comparable to the number of inhabitants of the 6e largest city in Quebec.
Benefiting from various housing assistance programs (low-income housing (HLM) and Rent Supplement Program (PSL)), these households devote 25% of their income to housing, thus freeing up part of their budget to meet their needs. other essential needs, including feeding, clothing, taking care of oneself and one’s family, studying, contributing to community life, thriving, etc.
“Housing offices represent a cornerstone without which it would be more difficult to settle down or resettle in life. They don’t just put a roof over people’s heads, they also take care of people. The simple fact of being able to find accommodation in a safe place at an acceptable cost will allow them to see the future differently,” says Dominique Godbout, president of the ROHQ board of directors.
Builders of sustainable living environments
Credit: Montreal Municipal Housing Office
Faced with the various realities that vulnerable people can face (single parenthood, mental health problems, loss of autonomy, lack of social network, etc.), housing offices, with their team dedicated to community support, have become experts over the years to help tenants develop their potential and offer them a springboard towards better living conditions while ensuring residential stability.
In collaboration with tenant associations, stakeholders from the health and social services network, then community organizations and the social economy, they have the capacity to act on several levels.
Whether by organizing activities to encourage tenants’ participation in community life, by developing mutual aid networks, by offering homework help sessions for children, by planning workshops to properly manage a budget, by putting setting up vaccination clinics, for example.
“I think of this single-parent family who has achieved a certain security and financial peace by living in subsidized housing. The mother was then able to continue her studies and obtain a college diploma in a very limited program, which allowed her to find a job and leave social housing to realize her dream of buying her own house. This example confirms that social housing improves the lives of tenants and helps them move towards a better life depending on each person’s situation,” underlines Ms. Godbout.
Positive influence on the whole of society
Credit: Outaouais Housing Office
The benefits of subsidized housing are omnipresent! The most recent study on the economic and social impacts of investments in social housing carried out by AVISÉO, demonstrates that investing in social housing improves the overall well-being of society and makes it possible to reduce the poverty rate in Quebec.
These investments contribute to reducing health and safety costs, reducing certain types of crime, reducing socio-economic inequalities, reducing the use of public services by people experiencing poverty, and to represent an important economic lever.
Our society needs the contribution of all its fellow citizens to contribute to its well-being. “By securing the basic needs of more vulnerable people, they can access something else, give and give back,” says Ms. Godbout.
To find out about the housing offices in your area, visit the site and don’t miss the special section which will be published in the Journal de Québec on Wednesday, November 29.