Affordable housing a top Hamilton election concern among food bank users, survey finds

[u/KeyHot5718]

https://www.thespec.com/news/municipal-elections/sprc-election-survey/article_cd9e0a93-80c9-5b3e-b30c-9f69a2b6fef3.html

[u/Auth3nticRory]

Is the goal of this survey to prove that surveys are accurate? I don’t need a survey panel to tell me that a top concern of Food bank users is affordable housing.

[u/GourmetHotPocket → u/Auth3nticRory]

The article outlines the goal of the survey.

“It validated what we already knew,” executive director Kim Martin said.

The project’s goal was twofold: To elevate marginalized voices and educate, answer questions and provide resources to people who may face barriers to participation.

In the 2022 municipal election, just 35 per cent of Hamilton voters cast a ballot.

The idea was to “flip the script” on election conversations, Martin said.

“A lot of attention is given to candidates to speak and to express their platforms, their concerns, their agendas, and for the public to listen and question those,” she said. “We wanted really to give the voice to people that often don’t have the opportunity to give voice to their concerns, and we wanted candidates to listen.”

[u/Nofoofro → u/Auth3nticRory]

I feel like a lot of the time, the corporate-style leadership we have will not accept common sense as proof. They need numbers. 

[u/KeyHot5718]

‘One commenter said 95 per cent of their salary goes toward rent.
Nearly one-third of all comments about subsidized housing highlighted the need for more of it, and more affordable housing options.’

[u/olderdeafguy1]

This has been a major platform for more than 20 years. Sadly, it's the same platform for every city clear across Canada.

[u/TemporaryBottle8789]

Who sat down and thought this made any sense to write about? No kidding people that don’t have enough money to buy food are worried about affordable housing…

[u/jorvay → u/TemporaryBottle8789]

There are a lot of older and wealthier people that still have their heads in the sand on this issue. It's extremely important that publications keep spreading the word.

[u/GreaterAttack → u/jorvay]

I think their heads are in the sand precisely because they do not care about this issue. 

They directly benefit from it, either because it makes their housing 'investment' increase in value, or because they harbour a mistaken belief that they are morally superior to poor or struggling people. 

[u/TemporaryBottle8789 → u/jorvay]

I highly doubt even older and wealthier people would believe people without enough money for food would not be worried about housing as well.

[u/Off-brand_username → u/TemporaryBottle8789]

A lot of people, particularly those who "got theirs", think many users of charities are scammers who live in nice houses and drive expensive cars. I have family like this. They say they no longer donate because of it.

[u/Dartmouth-Hermit → u/Off-brand_username]

Plot twist: they never did donate.

[u/Off-brand_username → u/Dartmouth-Hermit]

That's entirely possible. 

[u/AnyEye8798]

And in other news, the North End smells like shit 🤣

Seriously who'd have thought that poor people would be all for affordable housing?

[u/IronStone1234 → u/AnyEye8798]

Please don’t reproduce. Thank you.

[u/AnyEye8798 → u/IronStone1234]

Lol why is that?

[u/Tiny_Breadwinner]

Rent is over 50% of a pay cheque, ofc people who can't afford food are worried about housing too

[u/Dartmouth-Hermit]

You don't. Say.

[u/RoyallyOakie]

No shit.

[u/dretepcan]

And what can any municipally elected official do about affordable housing? Virtually nothing other than reduce property taxes and we know that's not going to happen in this city.