Housing Needs Assessment | Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
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WOOD BUFFALO HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT Wood Buffalo Regional Report Prepared by: Urban Matters CCC 2nd Floor, 9902 Franklin Avenue Fort McMurray, AB T9H 2K5 P: (780) 430-4041 May 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS FIGURES ..................................................................................................3 TABLES ....................................................................................................3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................1 KEY FINDINGS ..........................................................................................6 COMMUNITY HOUSING PROFILE .............................................................8 Demographics .........................................................................................8 Current Population .........................................................................9 Age and Gender Profile ..................................................................9 Ethnic and Cultural Identity ..........................................................10 Households ...........................................................................................11 Household Type ...........................................................................11 Household Tenure ........................................................................12 Economy ...............................................................................................12 Income .........................................................................................12 Prevalence of Low-Income ...........................................................13 Employment .................................................................................14 Housing ................................................................................................. 14 Dwelling Types .............................................................................15 Homelessness .............................................................................16 Housing Supply ............................................................................16 Seniors Housing Profile ................................................................19 Primary Rental Market..................................................................20 Housing Indicators .......................................................................22 RURAL COMMUNITY SUMMARY ........................................................... 24 Population ............................................................................................. 24 Dwellings and Households ....................................................................24 Housing Conditions ...............................................................................25 Adequacy (State of Repair) ..........................................................25 Suitability (Crowding) ................................................................... 26 Affordability ..................................................................................27 Summary ...............................................................................................28 Anzac .........................................................................................28 Conklin .........................................................................................28 Fort Chipewyan ............................................................................28 Fort McKay ...................................................................................29 Janvier .........................................................................................29 Saprae Creek ...............................................................................29 Gregoire Lake Estates..................................................................29 GAP ANALYSIS ....................................................................................... 30 Affordability Analysis .............................................................................30 Households in Need ..............................................................................30 Summary of Housing Needs ..................................................................35 Community Housing Summary ..............................................................36 FIGURES Figure 1: RMWB Age Groups, 2018 9 Figure 2: Median Sale Price for Housing in Fort McMurray, Gregoire Lake Estates, Anzac and Saprae Creek, 2011-2018 16 Figure 3: Primary Rental Market Vacancy Rates (October) in Wood Buffalo 21 Figure 4: Primary Rental Market Median Rent (October) in Wood Buffalo 21 Figure 5: Primary Rental Market Number of Units (October) in Wood Buffalo 22 TABLES Table 1: Wood Buffalo Housing Proposed Development Program – 5 to 10 Year Development Priorities 4 Table 2: RMWB Population Trend 2012-2018 9 Table 3: Ethnicity of RMWB Residents, 2018 10 Table 4: Indigenous Identity of RMWB Residents, 2016 11 Table 5: Immigrant Status of RMWB Residents, 2016 11 Table 6: RMWB Household Types, 2016 12 Table 7: RMWB Tenure by Household Age, 2018 12 Table 8: RMWB Median Incomes by Household Type, 2015 13 Table 9: RMWB Household Income, 2015 13 Table 10: Prevalence of Low-Income in RMWB, 2015 14 Table 11: RMWB Employment Statistics, 2016 14 Table 12: Dwelling Types, 2018 15 Table 13: Age of Dwellings in RMWB, 2016 15 Table 14: Owned Homes by Dwelling Type, 2018 17 Table 15: Rental Homes by Dwelling Type, 2018 17 Table 16: Non-Market Housing in RMWB 18 Table 17: Non-Wood Buffalo Housing Non-Market Housing 18 Table 18: Senior (65+) Households by Dwelling Type and Tenure, 2018 19 Table 19: Projected Seniors Population (65+), 2023 and 2028 20 Table 20: Projected Elder Seniors Population (75+), 2023 and 2028 20 Table 21: Housing Indicators for RMWB, 2016 23 Table 22: Market and Non-Market Housing in Rural Communities 24 Table 23: Adequacy in Rural Communities 25 Table 24: Affordability Analysis based on Median Incomes and Shelter Costs 30 Table 25: Summary of Estimated Housing Need Across the Region 32 Table 26: Summary of Estimated Housing Need by Community 34 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Wood Buffalo Housing and Development retained Urban Matters / Urban Systems to complete a Regional Housing Needs Assessment for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) area. This study included the collection, review and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data for housing across the Region and is intended to develop a more robust and comprehensive understanding of housing supply, challenges, gaps and needs within our communities here in the RMWB. A full literature review of existing reports and studies, as well as available statistical data (including the recently completed 2018 Municipal Census) was undertaken. This data and the resulting findings were then used as the basis for engaging with each of the communities within the Region. Interviews and engagement sessions were completed with key stakeholders and community representatives in all communities within the study scope. This report provides an overview of the regional findings. A detailed report specific to each community was also prepared:1 • Fort Chipewyan • Fort McKay • Fort McMurray, including data from Draper where available • Saprae Creek • Gregoire Lake Estates • Anzac • Janvier • Conklin This volume of reports and findings within are intended to provide an evidence-based summary, augmented with anecdotal community context, on the housing landscape amongst RMWB communities. It is our hope this work will be instrumental in supporting the growth and development of capacity, programs and/or projects to further address key housing needs within our Region. Key Findings Overall, the region is affluent, with high median incomes, meaning that despite high home prices housing for most households remains affordable. However, for households earning less than $40,000 housing affordability is an acute issue, and approximately 770 renting households are in core housing need, while anywhere from about 200 to 300 individuals in the region are homeless and may not be captured by core housing need estimates. Our research shows that there is a housing crises in many of the rural hamlets: Janvier, Conklin, Fort Chipewyan, and Fort McKay are all experiencing significant housing issues that include overcrowding, housing in poor repair, and low-income households who cannot afford even the community housing (i.e. affordable but not deeply subsidized) when they are available. Community members we engaged with indicated that the hamlets need a 1 Due to size considerations, Fort Fitzgerald was not included. PAGE 1 community-based response to housing issues, one driven by an Indigenous perspective that understands the specific challenges and opportunities present in the communities. Housing in Fort McMurray is also a challenge for the lowest-income earners: although rents have come down since the 2016 wildfire, they are not low enough to serve households earning less than $40,000 per year, and even some households earning less than about $70,000 may experience difficulty in affording median market rent. The 2018 homeless count in Fort McMurray counted 200 individuals who were on the street or in shelters, indicating a need to strengthen existing services and supports (such as Housing First programs) to adequately support this population. Issues and Opportunities Issue: In addition to the new units that are required to meet the current housing need, hundreds more are in various states of disrepair