Campaigns and Projects
One Percent Solution
Many
have endorsed the declaration that "Homelessness is a National
Disaster." Now, it's time to turn our attention to the solution
- the One Percent Solution. In the coming months, as part of a
re-energized One Percent Solution Campaign, we will be working to refine
the specific elements of the One Percent Solution, including program
design details and costs. For now, we need to continue building awareness
and support for the Solution. Please find below some materials that will
help to do this in your community.
THE ONE PERCENT SOLUTION
What is the One Percent Solution?
The One Percent
Solution was launched in 1998 by the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee
(TDRC). It is based on the finding of Prof. David Hulchanski of the
University of Toronto that, in the mid-1990s, federal, provincial,
territorial and municipal governments spent about one percent of their
budgets on housing. Since then, governments have made substantial housing
cuts. The One Percent Solution calls on governments to double their
commitment to housing programs by restoring and renewing housing spending.
A multi-year commitment is required.
Photo courtesy of Erin George.
The One
Percent Solution has three recommendations:
1. Funding of $2 billion federally, and another $2 billion among provinces and territories.
2.
Restoring and renewing national, provincial and territorial
programs aimed at resolving the housing crisis and
homelessness disaster.
3.
Extension of the federal homelessness strategy (Supporting
Community Partnerships Initiative) with immediate funding for new and
expanded shelter and services across the country.
There are
five key components of the One Percent Solution:
-
supply (new social housing supply),
-
affordability (rent supplements for low-income households in new and existing social units),
-
supports (additional supportive housing units),
-
rehabilitation (acquisition and conversion of substandard units to social housing), and
-
emergency relief (double annual spending on services and shelter for the homeless).
There is broad agreement about the key elements of a new national
housing program. For instance, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
has the following recommendations:
-
20,000 units of new housing, 10,000 units of rehabilitated housing,
-
$300 million to ramp up the Affordable Housing Framework Agreement,
-
$150 million for homelessness initiatives,
-
$500 million over five years for a new housing rehabilitation fund.
Policy
formation, program design is the next step
The One Percent
Solution campaign will provide an opportunity to refine the specific
elements of the One Percent Solution, program design details and costs. Community
based groups that provide housing and services for the homeless, those at
risk of homelessness and low-income tenants will be part of the policy
formation and program design process.
Positive momentum towards the One Percent
Solution
Education and advocacy by the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee, the National Housing and Homelessness Network, and other allies have led to significant responses by the federal government:
·
Additional
funding for the rehabilitation of substandard housing through the
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program and program design changes
in 1999.
·
Development
of the federal homelessness strategy in 1999 ($753 million for services
and temporary shelter over three years).
·
Establishment
of the Affordable Housing Framework Agreement in 2001 ($680 million for
new affordable housing over five years – the first new federal funding
since 1993).
·
Growth
in the number of housing and homelessness initiatives in a number of
Ontario municipalities (Ottawa, York, Waterloo, London, Hamilton, and
Toronto). Also in other municipalities outside Ontario.
·
Positive
developments at the provincial level in Quebec and Manitoba in the past
few years.
Although total funding is
well short of the $2 billion goal, a growing number of housing projects
and services have been created across Canada. There is positive momentum,
especially at the federal and municipal levels, for more funding and
stronger housing programs.
Provinces haven’t lived up to housing agreement
In
November of 2001, the federal government joined with the provinces and
territories in signing the Affordable Housing Framework Agreement. Under
this agreement, the federal government promised to pay $680 million over
five years for new housing. The provinces and territories agreed to
provide matching funding. The new deal was a welcome development,
especially after years of funding cuts at the federal level and in almost
every province except for Quebec. But there are several major problems
with the roll-out of this agreement:
·
while the
Affordable Housing Framework Agreement calls on the funds to be targeted
to low and moderate-income renter households, some provinces are using
average market rents to define affordable rents.
·
a number of
provinces have taken advantage of loopholes in the framework agreement and
refused to provide provincial matching dollars.
·
provincial
spending estimates show that six of the ten provinces cut housing spending
in 2002-2003, which means that the new federal money is simply replacing
provincial dollars, leading to no net gain in new housing.
The One
Percent solution campaign will focus attention on provincial and
territorial governments, as well as the federal and municipal roles.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1. Endorse the One Percent Solution: Encourage others in your community to endorse the Solution. Endorse Now! Also show your support by wearing the 1% Solution button. To order a quantity of 1% buttons, contact us. Buttons cost $1/button. We will fill orders of 20 or more. You can recover your costs by selling them at your local event.
2. Contact elected officials at the municipal, provincial and federal level: Invite them to your local events. Organize a group visit. Write letters to them or call. Use opportunities like special holiday meals to organize a letter writing session; provide paper, pens, stamped envelopes, and sample messages at meetings and events. Be sure to keep the government officials informed of the local struggles in your area and ask what they are doing to end homelessness. When they receive more than a few visits or letters about any subject, they sit up and take note.
3. Raise awareness: Organize a forum; display a banner in prominent location; poster empty buildings or construction sites; respond to local emergencies; organize site visits to homeless programs or housing projects with political leaders and the media to highlight the ways that your community is successfully or inadequately addressing our housing crisis and homelessness disaster. Be creative!
4. Use the media to help spread the word: Encourage prominent people in your community to write an op-ed piece or letter to the editor. Invite media to your community events. Something as simple as calls to media communicating your concern for homeless people in your area or supporting or opposing a recent story can influence how the issue in covered in the future.
5. Prepare
for Upcoming Elections: The federal elections are drawing near.
Work with others to ensure housing is a key election issue.
6. Build housing: Faith groups, unions, and community groups have contributed to our affordable housing stock. Even a single unit on church property, for example, can help to emphasize the need and show how easily and cheaply it can be done.
7.
Please keep in touch with us about your participation in the
campaign.
For more
information on the Campaign, contact TDRC at tdrc@tdrc.net