The City of Cranbrook is seeking public feedback on housing issues as part of a new provincial requirement that municipalities conduct a housing needs report for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Feedback is being collected through an online survey by CitySpaces Consulting, which will be open for residents to give their input for the next three weeks.
“Collecting data is only one part of the housing story. We need to hear from residents about their key housing concerns in order to better understand the unique housing needs in Cranbrook,” said Jada Basi, Manager of Housing and Community Planning with CitySpaces Consulting.
In addition to the online survey, CitySpaces will be reaching out to community stakeholders for information through interviews and small focus groups, once the initial data collection phase of the report is finished.
The finished report will provide the province with a snapshot of projected changes in demographics and context for community-specific information on housing needs. A Housing Needs Report is now mandated to be done every five years and funded by a $30,000 provincial housing grant.
“Information we can collect locally on our housing needs and gaps will provide us important tools to assist in planning for our community, and it contributes our information to the large housing needs picture across the province,” says Chris New, Director of Community Services with the City.
The report will also provide the City with a broad understanding of the housing situation in Cranbrook, which can inform current and long range planning processes and initiatives.
In addition to the legislated requirements of the report, the City has expanded the scope to dig further into the affordability aspect of housing needs.
trevor.crawley@cranbrooktownsman.com
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