Mason says 'system failure' means Halifax should take over public housing
A Halifax councillor thinks it may be time for the municipality to take over social housing from the province.
"Housing is not working right now," said Waye Mason, who represents Halifax South Downtown. "We are not addressing urban poverty ... the emperor has no clothes."
Mason asked staff to look into the idea at a meeting of the community planning and economic development committee on Thursday. He's booked a meeting with Kelly Regan, the provincial minister responsible for housing.
Housing Nova Scotia helps provide housing to Nova Scotians on low or modest incomes. It owns about 12,700 subsidized units, with about 17,000 families and seniors living in them. In Halifax, it operates via the Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority.
Mason said Halifax needs thousands of affordable-housing units, but they are not being built. Mason pointed out that similarly sized cities across the country do have control over social housing.
"We can't be held accountable for building affordable housing when it's not our job," said Mason. "And the main reason why developers haven't been building them is a system failure and we need to fix that."
In December 2016, Halifax regional council endorsed a target of opening 3,000 new affordable units in the municipality with the help of Housing Nova Scotia, non-profit groups and the private sector.
Councillors at Thursday's meeting indicated that no new affordable housing has been built since then.
But Coun. Tim Outhit, who is a committee member, said the potential costs of the municipality taking over public housing worry him.
"Take a look at some of these houses," said Outhit, councillor for Bedford-Wentworth. "Where are we going to find the money for restoring, replacing and maintaining them?"
Mason replied that he's not interested in taking over housing without the proper funding. He said a staff report would cover the cost implications.
"I'm asking for a transition of the funding," said Mason. "But it might be that the price tag is too high."
Coun. Steve Craig agreed with Mason. "This will garner attention," said Craig, councillor for Lower Sackville. "It will start a conversation: Is there a better model? We won't know unless we look at it."
The request for a report was approved, with Outhit being the lone vote against the motion.
