The City of Prince George is seeking feedback from residents regarding housing needs in the community. The city is asking residents to participate in the Housing Needs Assessment by filling out a survey, available now at www.princegeorge.ca/getinvolved. The survey will take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete and can be filled out until September 30.
“This survey will provide us with important information about the reality of the housing situation in our city,” said Melissa Barcellos, Manager of Economic Development, in a news release. “Housing needs reports provide a snapshot of the current community demographics, the housing supply, and anticipated future housing needs. They are a tool for local governments to plan for future housing development.”
Starting in 2022, local governments are required to complete housing needs reports every five years. These reports analyze several data sources to learn about the current housing available (age, types of units, rental vacancy, average cost) and projected housing needs (projected future population and housing costs). The results of the City of Prince George Housing Needs Assessment are expected to be made public on the City website before the end of the year.
Housing needs reports also identify gaps in housing and areas where people are struggling, such as homelessness, supportive and affordable housing, and people living in “core housing need.” A core housing need indicates a household is spending more than 30 per cent of their income on housing, and/or living in unsuitable housing conditions including disrepair or insufficient rooms.
“In addition to this survey we are conducting focus groups with agencies involved in housing from social services, other government departments, developers and real estate business experts, non-profit housing providers, and First Nations organizations,” said Barcellos. “We will also be reaching out to community partners to arrange interviews with people with lived experience of housing instability in the community who can share about barriers and challenges to securing housing.”
Residents with questions about this survey or the Housing Needs Assessment, are encouraged to contact Melissa Barcellos: melissa.barcellos@princegeorge.ca.