Northern Light
Superstar
A report to next week's ECDC meeting puts forward the Capital Plans for construction/renovation/expansion of shelter sites in Toronto.
I can't say I'm enthusiastic about the plan.
My challenge here is the money per shelter bed; and a serious question about whether we can't and ought not to spend that delivering greater permanent housing instead.
From the above:
The City notes the operating savings; of City-owned shelters vs beds in hotels. Which, to be clear, is real, and worthwhile in terms of shifting to lower-cost delivery if those are the only options for money.
But here's what I did.......
I took the above listed 674.5 million, and divided it by the proposed 1,600 beds.
It works out to just over $421,000 per bed.
There is absolutely no reason the City could not deliver 1,600 rent-geared-to-income apartments for that cost, if not a bit less.
Those apartments could average more than 1 person per unit; at even 1.2 (mostly studios, but some 1 bedrooms for couples and a smattering of small family units, one would allow for 1,920 people being housed instead of 1,600, and in far better accommodation.
On top of that, the cost of operating a City-owned shelter bed is pegged at $126 per night in the report; which is $3,780 per month.
An RGI unit, recovering 30% of Ontario Works takes in rent of $220 per month; assuming fair market rent of $3,000 on a new build, that's a net cost of $2,780 or almost $1,000 per month cheaper than the shelter bed!
****
Additionally the City continues to propose building or renovating shelters to permit up to 8 people in a room, which with the associated lack of privacy, personal hygiene and safety discourages many from ever entering the shelter system in the first place. Sigh.
Shelter Design Guidelines here:
I'm curious to here @HousingNowTO 's take on the above. (both)
Mine is that many senior City staff on this file need to make for the exits, and I may provide a helping hand.
I can't say I'm enthusiastic about the plan.
My challenge here is the money per shelter bed; and a serious question about whether we can't and ought not to spend that delivering greater permanent housing instead.
From the above:
The City notes the operating savings; of City-owned shelters vs beds in hotels. Which, to be clear, is real, and worthwhile in terms of shifting to lower-cost delivery if those are the only options for money.
But here's what I did.......
I took the above listed 674.5 million, and divided it by the proposed 1,600 beds.
It works out to just over $421,000 per bed.
There is absolutely no reason the City could not deliver 1,600 rent-geared-to-income apartments for that cost, if not a bit less.
Those apartments could average more than 1 person per unit; at even 1.2 (mostly studios, but some 1 bedrooms for couples and a smattering of small family units, one would allow for 1,920 people being housed instead of 1,600, and in far better accommodation.
On top of that, the cost of operating a City-owned shelter bed is pegged at $126 per night in the report; which is $3,780 per month.
An RGI unit, recovering 30% of Ontario Works takes in rent of $220 per month; assuming fair market rent of $3,000 on a new build, that's a net cost of $2,780 or almost $1,000 per month cheaper than the shelter bed!
****
Additionally the City continues to propose building or renovating shelters to permit up to 8 people in a room, which with the associated lack of privacy, personal hygiene and safety discourages many from ever entering the shelter system in the first place. Sigh.
Shelter Design Guidelines here:
I'm curious to here @HousingNowTO 's take on the above. (both)
Mine is that many senior City staff on this file need to make for the exits, and I may provide a helping hand.
