Plummeting oil prices have led to thousands of job layoffs and a struggling Alberta economy. In times of economic uncertainty those less fortunate can often fall through the cracks, especially as people’s budgets contract.
While that is what we would expect to see, St. Albert is proving that in times of trouble communities can come closer together.
When demand for the food bank skyrocketed near the end of the summer, city residents responded. Food drives and extra donations not only helped fill the increased need, but ensured there was enough supply to help hungry families through the holiday season.
St. Albertans generosity came to the forefront again last week when the attendees of the housing society’s annual fundraising breakfast raised a whopping $42,000 – double the event’s norm.
That is good news for people who are in need of rental assistance. Tash Taylor, the society’s executive director, said the extra money would allow more people to benefit from the program. If the demand at the food bank is any indication, the society might find even the extra money will not meet the demand this year. Previous years it has struggled to keep up as awareness of the society grows and more people seek help.
Unlike some social assistance programs, the housing society’s model combines assistance with personal development that help lead to self-sufficiency. Designed to help people get back on their feet, while also assisting with employment opportunities and financial management, it is not merely a handout.
While organizations such as the housing society are vital to ensuring people who are struggling can afford shelter for themselves and their families, perhaps there is a better way. With the high cost of housing in the province – even though the market has sagged in recent months – it might be time to consider the ideas of Avi Friedman, the fundraiser’s keynote speaker.
Friedman, a world-renowned architect and affordable housing advocate, gave a fiery presentation about the need for nations to change their approach to housing. His ideas – which would mean a complete cultural shift in thinking in Canada – point to the need to build smaller, simpler, using less land, and considering not only shared common areas but parking and other amenities as well.
The concepts fly in the face of the multi-bedroom, multi-bathroom, acreage-style, triple-garage dream home that many Canadians aspire to but few can actually afford.
Achieving Friedman’s dream requires not only a complete rethinking of how communities build and zone but a shift in thought to remove the negative stigma associated with the idea of low-cost housing as well.
We have latched onto the idea of bigger and more is better and the result is skyrocketing housing costs and rising debt loads. As Friedman said the old dream of growing up, getting a job and buying a home is becoming harder and harder to attain.
It is hard to say if Friedman’s concepts will ever catch on in North America, where an addiction to excess persists. If they don’t, home ownership will never be more than a dream for a growing segment of the population.
A place to call your own should not be the privilege of the wealthy.
