Attitude shift needed to meaningfully address housing crisis

Posted Jan 22, 2025 01:47:01 PM.
Last Updated Jan 22, 2025 01:47:07 PM.
With a federal election coming no later than October and a provincial election likely before that, the issue of affordable housing is sure to get plenty of lip service.
But the most recent data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) shows new housing starts across the country have stalled and hit three-decade lows in Waterloo Region.
That comes despite many municipalities pledging to take measures to increase the supply of affordable housing.
So, why is that?
According to Philip Mills, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region the issue is something he calls the housing paradox.
He said people tend to vote for progress then stand in the way when that progress comes to their neighbourhood.
“We say we want more housing and then the moment housing shows up we complain about our community changing. Well, what did we want? What did we want to see?”
Mills said this isn’t a new phenomenon. This type of NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard) has hamstrung local governments, blocking possible solutions because of worries over property values or the types of people that may move into those affordable units.
“We do this all the time. We demand solutions from our politicians then block action.”
He said this puts politicians in a no win situation.
“Their hands are tied in the weirdest way where they know this is what the community needs. Everyone is saying this is what the community needs but when push comes to shove, the people that put them into power say: don’t do this.”
Mills was quick to shoot down the property value argument, saying just because a home might be worth a million dollars, it doesn’t mean the person is a millionaire.
“Yeah, your home value may be up but you can’t access it. This isn’t money you have in the bank. If your home value has gone up, great! So, now you’re going to what, sell it and buy another house in the same market that has also grown in value?”
He said that only works if you own multiple homes and start selling off the “extras.”
Mills said ultimately what needs to change is people’s attitudes towards affordable housing.
“We have to make a change and part of that starts with us. And, I think that’s important as a community to really focus on what do we control. What we control is the way we respond to our politicians, the way we respond to the growth, the way we respond to change. We can control that a lot better than we can control say, the federal economy or the state of immigration. Those sorts of things that have an impact on housing.”