Ensure more individuals have a safe place to call home

This recommendation speaks to ensuring more individuals have a safe place to call home. Renters who experience adverse living conditions, which may cause risks to their health and safety, shouldn’t also experience barriers to finding a residence or even risk the loss of their rental. The federal and provincial governments have the necessary authorities to support Calgarians in overcoming these challenges, including improving legislation and awareness on rights and responsibilities.

Have your say

Public submissions and presentations will be accepted at the Committee meeting on Sep 14, 2023. To learn more about how you can share your thoughts on these recommendations please visit: https://www.calgary.ca/council/meetings/public-hearing.html

Action Items

Action A - Create awareness of tenant’s rights

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Support tenants and governments to address inadequate housing conditions by developing and delivering a program that creates awareness of tenant’s rights through a similar program to The City of Edmonton’s ‘Supports for Tenants’ service.	The City would create a program that supports tenants to understand their rights and responsibilities when they are renting housing. Many renters are not aware of their specific rights when renting housing. A program like this would support renters to know their rights and support them to seek redress if they experience issues with their tenancy.	People living in rental housing would have more supports to maintain and access safe and affordable homes.

Next steps

The City will research and investigate a program that speaks to the local needs and, if required, bring forward a Budget Request and Council Approval on the program in the future.

Action B - Advocate to the province on behalf of tenants

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Advocate to the Province to: Increase number of Public Health inspectors available to inspect properties allowing for inspections to be completed within 1 week. Revise the Residential Tenancies Act to protect tenants from unfounded evictions if a complaint is made to Alberta Health Services or any other public serving agency. Provide financial supports for alternative temporary accommodations, for tenants unable to find or afford alternative accommodations, while rental properties are being repaired from unsafe or inadequate conditions. Review and enhance the Minimum Health and Housing Standards to ensure that tenants are protected from substandard housing, review and adjust the standard occupancy rates to accommodate culturally appropriate housing. Investigate and resolve non-contractual or legal complaints of discrimination, mistreatment, or substandard housing, through the creation of a Housing Ombudsperson that can serve all landlords operating and residents living in rental housing in Calgary.	The City would advocate to the provincial government to carry out these specific actions. Other orders of government have the necessary authorities to support Calgarians in overcoming these challenges, including improving legislation and awareness on rights and responsibilities. The City is committed to working with federal and provincial governments to make affordable housing more readily available to individuals and families living on lower incomes.	People living in rental housing would have more supports to maintain and access safe and affordable homes.

What is the action?

What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?

How would this affect Calgary?

Advocate to the Province to:

Increase number of Public Health inspectors available to inspect properties allowing for inspections to be completed within 1 week.
Revise the Residential Tenancies Act to protect tenants from unfounded evictions if a complaint is made to Alberta Health Services or any other public serving agency.
Provide financial supports for alternative temporary accommodations, for tenants unable to find or afford alternative accommodations, while rental properties are being repaired from unsafe or inadequate conditions.
Review and enhance the Minimum Health and Housing Standards to ensure that tenants are protected from substandard housing, review and adjust the standard occupancy rates to accommodate culturally appropriate housing.
Investigate and resolve non-contractual or legal complaints of discrimination, mistreatment, or substandard housing, through the creation of a Housing Ombudsperson that can serve all landlords operating and residents living in rental housing in Calgary.

The City would advocate to the provincial government to carry out these specific actions. Other orders of government have the necessary authorities to support Calgarians in overcoming these challenges, including improving legislation and awareness on rights and responsibilities. The City is committed to working with federal and provincial governments to make affordable housing more readily available to individuals and families living on lower incomes.

People living in rental housing would have more supports to maintain and access safe and affordable homes.

Next steps

The City would incorporate these advocacy initiatives into existing efforts and conversations with the Provincial and Federal Governments.

Action C - Support residents in rental housing experiencing high rent increases

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
To support residents in rental housing experiencing higher than normal increases in rent, investigate rent control models used in other jurisdictions, and provide the Government of Alberta with a summary of the findings.	The City would investigate models of rent control used in other jurisdictions, and provide the Government of Alberta with the findings. Anecdotally, and according to many accounts, Calgary has seen very high rent increases recently which have affected many people in rental housing. As part of this process, The City of Calgary would investigate models used in other jurisdictions to ensure rental market rates are balanced and remain affordable. This doesn’t necessarily mean rent control. It’s important to find a balanced solution that works for the Calgary market. For example, Winnipeg has an open market policy for properties built after 1990 but rent control measures for older properties built prior to 1990.	People living in rental housing would have more supports to maintain and access safe and affordable homes.

Next steps

The City would advocate the findings to the Government of Alberta.

Action D - Plan, evaluate, and invest to improve services for those in affordable housing and experiencing homelessness

What is the action?	What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?	How would this affect Calgary?
Support existing programming and partner at collaborative funding tables to strategically plan, evaluate, and invest to improve services for those in affordable housing and homelessness. Specific programs could include: Partner and invest seed funding ($600K) in existing community programs that support individuals in housing need to access funding for first/last rent obligations. Provide seed funding for community programs that can prevent Calgarians from becoming unhoused such as landlords’ mediation, or support for rental arrears.	This action speaks to supporting organizations and partnering with other organizations to provide funding that improves services for those in affordable housing and those experiencing homelessness. Renters and individuals experiencing homelessness need specific programs and services that support their needs in housing.	People living in rental housing would have more supports to maintain and access safe and affordable homes.

What is the action?

What would this mean if it was approved? Why was this recommendation made?

How would this affect Calgary?

Support existing programming and partner at collaborative funding tables to strategically plan, evaluate, and invest to improve services for those in affordable housing and homelessness. Specific programs could include:

Partner and invest seed funding ($600K) in existing community programs that support individuals in housing need to access funding for first/last rent obligations.
Provide seed funding for community programs that can prevent Calgarians from becoming unhoused such as landlords’ mediation, or support for rental arrears.

This action speaks to supporting organizations and partnering with other organizations to provide funding that improves services for those in affordable housing and those experiencing homelessness. Renters and individuals experiencing homelessness need specific programs and services that support their needs in housing.

People living in rental housing would have more supports to maintain and access safe and affordable homes.

Next steps

The City has provided one time seed funding for a First & Last Month Rent program led by the Community. The City will evaluate the efficacy of this program and work with partners to understand other actions that may need to be taken to support people experiencing homelessness and the need for affordable housing.

Recommendations and actions

Recommendation 1

Make it easier to build housing across the city
Recommendation 2

Make more land available to build more housing across the city
Recommendation 3

Ensure that the supply of affordable housing meets the needs of Indigenous people living in Calgary
Recommendation 4

Convene the housing sector to facilitate greater collaboration
Recommendation 5

Increase the investment to support housing providers.
Recommendation 6

Ensure more individuals have a safe place to call home.