KITCHENER — Despite the growing numbers of construction cranes studding the Kitchener skyline, a new study documents the growing housing crisis in the city.

The study of the current housing situation was prepared as part of Kitchener's new affordable housing strategy.

It paints a housing picture that has changed dramatically in just a couple of years. There are plenty of new homes and condos being built, but they are not affordable for the vast majority of Kitchener residents, leaving thousands of residents vulnerable.

Seniors are at risk of losing their home when their income drops after the death of a spouse; low-income tenants can't afford to move out of housing that's falling apart or dangerous; shelters are seeing an increase in demand, but especially in the numbers of young people seeking a bed for the night.

"Until recently most households in Kitchener had a wide range of housing options they could afford, but this is no longer the case," says the report, which Kitchener council will consider at a meeting Jan. 13. "Now nearly 80 per cent of the ownership housing units available are only affordable for the 35 per cent of Kitchener households that have high income."

Responsibility for housing is spread between all levels of government, but Kitchener hopes to have a housing strategy in place by the end of the year, setting out actions the city can take to ensure there's an adequate supply of housing for all incomes.

Kitchener is the second-fastest growing area in the country, and is expected to grow by 80,000 people over the next 25 years. But the purchase of any type of housing — even a small condo — is out of reach for half of households in the city. Home ownership is even further out of reach for single-parent families, immigrants and young people.

"For the city, it's a good wake-up call that action is needed to prevent things from getting worse," says Karen Cooper, who is helping lead the city's affordable housing strategy.

The report concludes:

• The current system isn't working — the silos between different levels of government, nonprofits and the private sector mean needs aren't being met.

• Incomes aren't keeping pace with the rising cost of housing: house prices jumped at triple the inflation rate from 2016-18.

• The average house price in Kitchener is almost $490,000, but the average household income in Kitchener is $108,500 — well below the $138,000 a year needed to pay for that.

• There isn't enough shelter for the homeless and the beds that exist are underfunded, essentially consist of a mat on the floor, and don't address the needs of a diverse population. The city needs 250 to 750 supportive housing units to meet current needs.

• The need for affordable housing is growing faster than the creation of new affordable housing units. Kitchener needs more than 7,500 subsidized units — almost double the existing 4,500 units. Fewer units are turning over, as people stay in subsidized units because they can't find affordable housing in the private market.

• Market rental is becoming out of reach for more people — the report estimates the city needs another 8,000 units that are affordable for those with low or even middle incomes. Half of all renters have incomes of $46,000 or less, but the asking rents among vacant apartments are so high, even one-bedroom apartments are too expensive for them.

A lot of factors have combined to push housing costs up: the booming economy, the rising cost of housing in the Greater Toronto Area that is pushing people to look further afield, and the fact that young people who used to leave the area are now choosing to stay.

The study also highlights areas where there's a lack of information. For instance, no one tracks "renovictions" — where tenants are evicted to allow renovations, which often convert modestly priced housing into more expensive units. Nor is there any data on the amount of housing locally that's bought as an investment or to generate Airbnb income.

Despite the stark numbers, Cooper remains optimistic.

"This has happened very recently," she notes. "These challenges are not entrenched yet. They're emerging problems."

The study shows there is plenty of housing supply coming in the next few years, and there's an opportunity to ensure a significant number of those units are affordable, she said. "The time is now. This isn't something to wait on."

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Those numbers will help the city make the case for action from other levels of government, and the need for the city to introduced so-called "inclusionary zoning" — a new policy that allows municipalities to require a minimum percentage of affordable units in housing developments. "This is a starting point, but it's a really solid foundation," she said. "This isn't just people's perceptions. It's hard data."

cthompson@therecord.com

Twitter: @ThompsonRecord