Housing Needs Assessment Services

The vendor is required to provide assessment is to identify priority areas of housing need for the segment of the population unable to access safe, suitable or affordable short and long-term housing (either rental or ownership). 
- Consultant to assess existing and proposed housing stock to determine gaps in the housing continuum.
- Community housing needs assessment
• Methodology
• Study area and regional context – provides a summary of important demographic information used to understand the context surrounding the community.
o The study area includes the lands within the town boundaries however, some consultation will include representatives outside of the town limits as it relates to community members being referred to service providers in other communities. 
o Assessment of need across all the parts of the housing spectrum, including:
▪ Social housing and rent-geared to 30% of income (RGI) housing
▪ Affordable, near and low-end of marketing housing
▪ Seniors housing
▪ Specialized needs housing such as emergency shelters
▪ Individuals with developmental, cognitive, or physical disabilities
▪ Individuals with severe and persistent mental illness
▪ Permanent supportive housing or supportive housing tied to addiction recovery, trauma, or psychiatric care
▪ Rent subsidies
▪ Other types of housing targeting identified populations such as indigenous and youth housing
▪ Work force housing (low and moderate income) to varying degrees
▪ Naturally occurring affordable housing
▪ Other components of the housing spectrum as deemed valuable by the consultant
• Housing supply analysis – to provide detailed information regarding the housing situation in the area
o Includes vacancy rates and median rents
• Housing needs analysis – describes the statistics for housing adequacy, suitability and affordability and provides information regarding the status of the housing supply in the town
• Gap analysis – determines the gaps in all types of housing (temporary and affordable) and highlighting the gaps faced by certain demographics.
o Identifies existing public and private lands that may be suitable for development of affordable housing projects. 
o Identifies gaps in community infrastructure (hard and soft services) that is required to support affordable housing projects and future residents. 
• Comprehensive analysis, evaluation, and recommendations.
- Community housing needs assessment
• Develop a community housing needs assessment (“assessment”) that aligns with federal and provincial government’s funding application requirements.
• The assessment must contain a detailed description of the methodology for the collection and analysis of data in addition to providing a community profile and current population and housing infrastructure trends factoring in demographics and household profiles.
• Develop, in consultation with the town and potentially other community stakeholders, key recommendations to address the community’s housing supply needs, barriers to expanding the supply of affordable housing and temporary shelter, gaps in land-use planning, regulations, policies, and community service programs.
- Methodology
• Outline the research methodology used to inform the completion of the assessment, where the methodology is derived from, and assumptions used, and any necessary justification.
• Include what forms of engagement were conducted, with whom, how learnings were incorporated into or informed the assessment’s findings, and what engagement opportunities may exist to share findings with the community.
- Data gathering and assessment
a. Researching and analyzing:
• Using published data (federal, provincial, municipal census data, cmhc, and other data sources as available to describe characteristics of people in housing need);
• The assessment should consider local initiatives like age-friendly and consider principles and assess the adequacy of housing to support aging-in-place and reduce isolation among older adults, as defined by state age-friendly community initiative.
• Use data for analysis such as inferences on job security, mobility, acceptability of current housing as an indicator of future need, etc.;
• Trends in net change of affordable or below-market housing including current stock available in the town for low to moderate income households (expressed through illustrations of net losses or net gains over the previous three census periods).
o Include an inventory of the types and diversity of housing available for these households.
o Provide a brief history of how housing in the community has been shaped by forces such as employment growth, economic development, migration, etc.
• Identify gaps in needed housing stock
• Trends in housing starts year-over-year and barriers to housing starts
• Comparing the town’s housing trends with similar municipalities to indicate standing in level of housing and shelter need
• Assessing impact of short-term vacation rentals on availability of long-term rental units (rate of conversions).
b. Identify and generate disaggregated data related to the residents directly impacted by the gaps in the housing continuum, including, but not limited to:
• Vulnerable groups that may be at greater risk of housing insecurity such as women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, youth and young adults, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people dealing with mental health and addiction issues, veterans, lgbtq2+, racialized groups, newcomers including recent immigrants and interprovincial migration, and people experiencing homelessness 
• Residents – general population 
• Business owners
• Agencies serving clients impacted by the gaps in the housing continuum, including disability or mental health organizations such as the AHS addiction and mental health, and disability support providers
• Multi-generational households
• Family composition (couples, singles, parent(s), and children)
• Disability and accessible
• Employment status and type (employed vs. unemployed, permanent vs. contract
• Current housing status including the adequacy, acceptability and affordability
• Working hours (ft vs. Pt).
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: August 6, 2025