Halifax ranks poorly in rental housing index

WATCH ABOVE: There isn’t much debate over whether the rental situation is a problem, but how to fix it and who is going to do it is a murkier concept. Global’s Steve Silva reports.

HALIFAX – A rental housing index launched today is painting an unflattering image of the city’s rental market.

“There’s nothing particularly surprising,” said Evan Coole, a board member of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) Nova Scotia.

The data set ranked hundreds of Canadian municipalities’ rental climates on factors including affordability and overcrowding; out of 523, Halifax came in at 455.

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Coole said that both minimum wage and social housing availability need to be increased, and rent increases indexed.

“Introducing rent control costs the government next to nothing and is an immediate measure that can address housing affordability,” he said.

The index also reported more than 13,000 Halifax renters are spending more than half of their incomes on rent.

“The current situation is not going to correct itself,” said poverty activist Wayne MacNaughton.

He said that all levels of government aren’t doing enough, adding that the current system is resulting in homelessness.

“I think we got to this point because we have had a city that hasn’t had enough options, particularly options in the downtown core of the city,” said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage.

He said that a significant part of the onus is on the federal government increasing affordable housing funding.

“You can’t afford to just let housing agreements expire,” he said.

Stephan Richard, community relations and public affairs director at Housing Nova Scotia, said that a housing needs assessment study is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

“We’re going to work with our partners to develop an action plan that will identify key priorities,” said Richard. “We’re hoping that five years down the road, we will have seen a lot of progress in some areas.”