Inner-City Housing, Rehabliltation and Relocation Committee Working Paper

Publisher:  St. Matthews-Maryland Community Ministry, Canada
Year Published:  1977
Pages:  11pp   Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX406

A paper on housing shortage issues in Winnipeg, Canada.

Abstract: 
The target for this paper is a central/north area of Winnipeg. Nevertheless the author believes the material is germane to others seeking similar responses to housing problems. The problem is, simply, that there is not enough housing, particularly low income housing, and that the housing available is largely substandard. Fires, closures, evictions, and demolitions have aggravated the difficulties. Related to this lack of adequate housing are absentee ownership, discrimination against single parents, the elderly and native people, a lack of sound urban planning, exorbitant rents, inequities in zoning and taxation systems, lack of information about housing, and lack of emergency cervices. The responses from city government do not deal with the problems created by landlords nor do they encourage tenant participation. The units created or proposed by Provincial government programs are still inadequate and unimaginative, and fail to improve existing housing. The committee urges a comprehensive city housing policy, land use controls in the inner city (7 proposals), 9 specific renovations policies, 8 proposals regarding people-oriented housing alternatives such as co-operatives, and several recommendations around emergency housing and relocation. "North/central Winnipeg needs not only more housing units, but also co-ordinated urban planning, economic development (jobs), community development (people organization), and sound social planning directed towards preserving the viability of inner-city neighbourhoods as decent places to live."