This text is part of the special notebook Listening to social causes
For about three years, the term “housing crisis” has regularly made headlines. Politicians are multiplying promises and announcements to try to stem the crisis, while rent prices continue to skyrocket and “renovictions” multiply. How do the organizations that work with those who have been hit hard by this tragedy intervene?
“Homelessness is only increasing, and there is a direct causal link with the housing crisis,” says Anne Cabaret. The director of community housing development at the Old Brewery Mission is categorical: the organization has noticed an expansion of its clientele in recent years. “There are people who, following a “renoviction” or eviction from housing, find themselves on the street even though they have jobs, income and stability which, at first glance, does not did not intend them to be homeless. »
The CEO of Centraide of Greater Montreal also sees this change in profile within the community organizations he finances. “One of the effects of the housing crisis is that the food bank is now part of the strategy for composing the food basket for certain families who earn their living… and it’s a bit dramatic,” laments Claude Pinard. We have young parents who get up in the morning, take their children to daycare, go to work… and they are in the food bank on the 26th or 27th of the month. »
He gives the example of this professional couple who went to a food bank in Côte-des-Neiges with their child… and who devoted 50% of their net income to housing.
Centraide, which is the largest financier of housing committees, increased its investments from 1.9 to 2.2 million dollars last year, adds Mr. Pinard.
The organization published a study in June which shows that the rent for a two-bedroom apartment has increased by 18% in two years in Greater Montreal. According to data collected by Centraide and the Montreal office of McKinsey & Company based on the residual income of residents of the greater Montreal area, nearly one in five households does not have the income to pay for their housing and meet their needs. essential needs, which represents 360,000 households.
Create a real estate portfolio
The Old Brewery Mission is first known as a shelter that provides emergency accommodation to homeless people. “We realized that all our emergency accommodation was full and that we had no other solution, because in the private or community market, there was not enough accommodation available for our people », says Mme Cabaret.
In 2020-2021, the organization chose to develop a real estate component and acquire buildings to accommodate its clientele. By purchasing buildings, hotels or rooming houses, for example, with the help of subsidies from the provincial and federal governments, the Old Brewery Mission now has 165 doors in its rental portfolio. And its goal is to have 500 by 2028.
Anne Cabaret specifies that including its partners, including private owners, the organization is currently able to house nearly 500 people, who pay rent equivalent to 25% of their income, while benefiting from psychosocial intervention services. Of course, compared to the rental market, it’s a drop in the ocean. And the waiting list is only growing.
“Funding programs do not keep up with our pace of development, unfortunately,” she laments.
Trying to work miracles
“The housing crisis is not a matter of two years ago,” says Claude Pinard. It’s been 25 years in the making; everyone underinvested. Right now, everyone needs to get involved to see how we can help people. »
This is precisely one of Centraide’s “superpowers,” he adds: to bring people together and take action. Bringing together the business world, the community, governments, institutions, etc.
The CEO of Centraide of Greater Montreal proudly cites as an example the Acceleration Group for the Optimization of the Hippodrome Project (GALOPH), set up to define a neighborhood on the site of the former Montreal Hippodrome. , and which should allow the creation of 10,000 housing units, including 4,800 social housing units.
Since holding its Acting Together for Housing event in May 2023, the organization has highlighted numerous progress and progress in this vast issue that is the housing crisis. Unfortunately, it is clear that this is not enough, he adds.
“We definitely have an impact. But I go to bed at night and have a little difficulty sleeping. I wonder if we’ll make it. I think so, because Quebecers are creative. But it’s going to take a lot of what I call “radical collaboration.” There are a lot of people who don’t like that I use the word “radical” next to “collaboration”, but it’s confronting, doing collaboration. And I think we won’t succeed — not just Centraide, all of society — if we don’t put the interests of the people we’re trying to help at the center of the table. But I feel like it’s coming. »
Anne Cabaret makes the same observation: “There is a systemic problem which is much bigger than us, and we are trying to do our part, but these solutions are not going to completely stop the problem. »
So… what do we do?
With its housing strategy, the Quebec government seeks to increase the supply of housing to naturally lower rent prices. “For me, that’s not enough,” proclaims Mme Cabaret. There is increasing the supply, yes, but above all increasing the affordable supply. There is a way to develop so-called “non-market” housing, or social and community housing, which will really have an effect on the overall market price. »
Building more and building a mix of projects: social, affordable and private, that’s the solution, insists Mr. Pinard, who estimates that Quebec would need half a million housing units to hope to regain a certain affordability.
The Old Brewery Mission supports the demands of many community organizations, which ask that 20% of the rental stock be non-profit and can therefore remain protected from speculation.
“We often link homelessness to mental health, health or work issues,” says Anne Cabaret. But in fact, it is above all a housing problem. I believe we underestimate the impact of having a roof over our heads on the overall health of individuals. »
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