Housing and Investment

In a variation of the question about housing as a human right, Sheldon MacLeod reporting on the Saltwire web page asks two questions in an interview with Dr. Levitin-Reid, a CCPA-NS Research Associate and an Associate Professor in the MBA in Community Economic Development program at Cape Breton University.

Right or Commodity?

Is housing a basic human right or an investment?

Can homes and apartments be commodities and at the same time be considered a basic human need?

MacLeod asks if it's the type of housing that is not being built by the private sector that is sorely missing in this path to affordability. Catherine Levitin-Reid sees a need for a massive investment in non-market housing.

Well, I see as far as housing supply, we need a massive investment in non-market housing. So, some of that should be public housing. Some of that should be nonprofit, and cooperative housing as well, but all nonmarket — all available with a goal of providing affordable housing for Nova Scotians, rather than making profit for owners. (MacLeod, 2023)

MacLeod inquires about the changes in the past that helped commodify housing stock. Catherine Levitin-Reid notes that the federal government pulled out of the building of affordable housing in the early 1990s and the province didn't step up and take its place.

This really is a key reason why we are experiencing the affordable housing crisis that we are today. Certainly, when there was that modest reinvestment that began around 25 years ago, we just didn't see the scale of investment that was required. And then they also at that point in time, started relying more on private sector partners to build affordable housing. And that housing has agreements in place so that that housing has to be affordable for 15 years. But after that rents can be increased. (MacLeod, 2023)

Halifax Councillor Waye Mason has expressed that in this time of likely global housing price collapse, high interest rates, and recession we are in need of the government to help preserve our labour force by funding affordable housing construction. His concerns have been expressed in a letter to Nova Scotia Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister, John Lohr.

Finally and most importantly, you are responsible for affordable housing construction in Nova Scotia.  In the election, Premier Houston promised to deliver the Affordable Housing Commission report.  That report talks extensively about the need for social or below-market housing.   I say again to you Minister, the market will not produce below-market housing.

You need to have a massive plan to build affordable housing, and you needed it a year ago.  With the coming global housing price collapse, high-interest rates and recession, there has never been a better time for the government to help preserve our labour force by funding affordable housing construction. (Mason, 2022)

Pressures arising from housing insecurity continue to negatively impact homeless people and persons in danger of loss of housing. This is a problem that requires government attention.

References

MacLeod, S. (2023, June 29). THINKING OUT LOUD: Rent supplements don’t always add up to affordable housing. SaltWire. Retrieved July 5, 2023, from https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/opinion/local-perspectives/thinking-out-loud-rent-supplements-dont-always-add-up-to-affordable-housing-100869008/ 

Mason, W. (2022, November 15). Correspondence from Councillor Mason to Minister Lohr Regarding Housing. Waye Mason, Councillor. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://wayemason.ca/2022/11/15/correspondence-from-councillor-mason-to-minister-lohr-regarding-housing/ 

Health Homes and Climate

The relationships between health services, housing needs, and the climate crisis are many. The tension between market based action and government control in these areas compels us to carefully analyze trends and progress.

Health and Housing in Climate Crisis

The Ottawa Citizen reports on privatization of orthopedic surgery that may be impacting staffing for hospital health care. Elizabeth Payne reports:

“We are not able to provide the service we want for oncology patients because nurses are working in a higher paid environment,” said the unnamed source. “My view is that this is confirming the concerns that we are limited in terms of the service we can provide in the public system because nurses are obviously being poached by this private clinic.” (Payne, 2023)

Nicole Munro, at Saltwire, contributes an article on West End Mall redevelopment in Halifax.

By the time the master plan is finished, Coun. Shawn Cleary (Halifax West Armdale) said, the inclusionary zoning bylaw should be in place at about the same time, giving HRM the power to ensure there is a percentage of affordable units included.

While Cleary suspects most of the units will be market-based rents, he said the inclusionary zoning bylaw would allow some affordable units.

“We’ll have the power to actually say, ‘No, no, you don’t have a choice. You’re going to have this per cent of those units that have to be affordable.’” (Halifax's West End Mall Redevelopment Will Go on Despite Pushback, Councillor Says, 2023)

Matt McGrath, environment correspondent for BBC News, contributes an article about fossil fuel emissions falling in worldwide electricity generation.

One significant player impacting the overall trend is China. Around 50% of the global addition of wind power came from China and about 40% of the world's new solar came from from the country that's also the world's biggest use of coal power.

"There is a chance that at the rate that China is building wind and solar and all types of clean generation, that they achieve that peak in coal generation earlier than 2025, which would be significant," said Mr Jones.

Energy experts acknowledge that curbing fossil fuels in power generation could well be a "turning point", but much more remains to be done. (McGrath, 2023)

We monitor important trends as we ponder the best economic approach to address these serious concerns that impact the common good.

References

Halifax's West End Mall redevelopment will go on despite pushback, councillor says. (2023, April 12). SaltWire. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/business/halifaxs-west-end-mall-redevelopment-will-go-on-despite-pushback-councillor-says-100843479/ 

McGrath, M. (2023, April 11). Climate change: Fossil fuel emissions from electricity set to fall - report. BBC. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65240094 

Payne, E. (2023, March 21). Surgeries at for-profit orthopedic clinic already impacting hospital staffing, some insiders say. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://ottawacitizen.com/news/surgeries-at-for-profit-orthopedic-clinic-already-impacting-hospital-staffing-some-insiders-say 

Making housing a human right in Nova Scotia

 Stephen Wentzell is writing in the Nova Scotia Advocate about a report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS)

A plan for affordable housing

 

that is making nearly 100 recommendations to address affordable housing and homelessness crises across the province.

Using an intersectional lens, the report aims to significantly reduce income inequality in the province, where nearly one in four children live below the poverty line. The report sends a stark reminder of the cost of government inaction on poverty, “costing Nova Scotia $2 billion per year in economic loss, $279 million in excess public service costs, and $231 million in foregone revenue.”  The kicker: The report’s 95 recommendations are cumulatively cheaper than the cost of government inaction. Among the directives is a push to build or acquire 33,490 additional units of permanently affordable, non-market housing for Nova Scotians over a 10-year-plan.1

The discussion on affordable housing needs to consider dealing with housing as a human right.

Municipal action for affordable housing

 

We must weigh the cost of this initiative by comparing it to the cost of inaction on this key economic determinant of health.

1(n.d.). Nova Scotia Advocate. Retrieved May 26, 2021, from https://nsadvocate.org/