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For immediate Release

Roof-Ready Regina to Hold a 2nd Alternative Housing Summit Press Conference

When: Tuesday, October 21
st
, 2014 from Noon-1pm;
Where: Just Outside the Delta Hotel, 1919 Saskatchewan Drive
Contact: Marc Spooner, Work: 306-585-4538,
email: marc.spooner@uregina.ca

A more comprehensive housing strategy still needed as Reginas affordable housing crisis
continues to grow. Any vacancy rate improvements are cold comfort for those who are
inadequately housed as Reginas rental costs continue to soar increasing by 4.7% between 2012
and 2013 and by 3.2% between 2013 and 2014 for a two bedroom apartment Said Spooner. He
explains, Unfortunately and alarmingly, the previous and current Mayor's Housing Summits are
not addressing the growing affordable housing crisis in Regina.

With its peculiar Made in Regina definition of affordable housing as housing which rents at or
below average market rent -- changed only weeks ago by City Council after much pressure
from Roof-Ready Regina and other community groups to a more conventional definition of
affordability as 30% of gross income-- last years Summit was never on track to provide the
much needed assistance required by so many Reginans desperately caught in the pinch of rising
rents and stagnant wages.

The 2
nd
Alternative Housing Summit Press Conference features the participation of a variety of
community-based organizations, including, among others, Carmichael Outreach, Making Peace
Vigil, Project People, Queen City Tenants Association, Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry/Network,
Regina Public Interest Research Group, and the University of Regina.

Speakers will provide insights into Reginas growing affordable housing crisis from the
perspective of researchers, advocates, front line workers, as well as from those who have first
hand knowledge of the hardship and pain caused by having to choose between food and rent, of
living in unsafe, overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.

Speakers include:
-Peter Gilmer (Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry/Network)
-Doreen Lloyd (Carmichael Outreach)
-Nic Olsen (formerly of Carmichael Outreach)
-Nadia Akbar-Kamal (Regina Public Interest Research Group)
-Mona Hill (Social worker and former president Amnesty-Regina)
-Angelica Barth (Queen City Tenants Association)
-Tyler Gray (Carmichael Outreach)
-Devon Peters (President University of Regina Students Association)
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WHAT CAN BE DONE?

WORKING WITH PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS

Regina has just lost 88 units of truly affordable housing. Last month, the provincial
government allowed Deveraux Developments to cancel its contract to build 48 units of
low-income housing in Regina. 40 units of low income housing were sold by the
government to help fund this project.

The city should develop a program to build 100 new units of affordable rental housing a
year, with matching funding from the province.

The city should also be working to develop a long-term plan to work in conjunction with
its provincial and federal counterparts to create more affordable housing units in Regina
within the framework of a coordinated strategy and complementary programs.

WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS

Developers could be required to include a certain number of truly affordable rental units
in their plans or, alternatively, pay a fee into an affordable housing account to be used by
the city to fund truly affordable rental housing.


WORKING WITH LANDLORDS

Safe, secure, and decent housing is a human right. To meet this obligation, the city must
implement rental unit licensing and rental unit inspection programs.


Roof-Ready Regina to Hold a 2nd Alternative Housing Summit Press Conference

When: Tuesday, October 21
st
, 2014 from Noon-1pm;
Where: Just Outside the Delta Hotel, 1919 Saskatchewan Drive
Contact: Marc Spooner, Work: 306-585-4538,
email: marc.spooner@uregina.ca