Queen’s team survey to address County housing concerns

Queen’s students Tyson Kash, Rachel Klysen, Ushpreet Mehta, Song Yi, Phoebe Ho with Barry Davidson.

A team of Queen’s University students is conducting a study of housing concerns in Prince Edward County – and they want to hear what residents here have to say about it.

The team, has connected with Barry Davidson, a member of the Prince Edward County Attainable Housing Network, (PECAHN) for the project.

Interviews are being conducted with people and agencies and will also look at the rental market, and other issues, including the effect on businesses unable to retain employees because they can’t find accommodation here.

Students within the Queen’s Business Consulting (QBC) group are collecting data through a new survey to assess the demand for affordable housing in the County. Specifically, the QBC team aims to inform and aid PECAHN in the redevelopment process of the former Wellington District Community Centre.

Davidson’s network is working on the redevelopment plan for the former arena site at Niles and Maple streets – to create rental units that include family dwellings and row housing with up to 50 per cent designed to be affordable housing, and the balance, at market value.

“Residents of Prince Edward County are well-aware of the current problems that affect housing in the County,” said Ushpreet Mehta, QBC consultant. “In particular, a number of factors have placed a strain on the local housing market such that there is an evident lack of both affordable and available housing.”

These factors include an overall increase in median house prices beyond the price ranges of local employees, the narrow tailoring of new housing to seasonal tourist populations and the aging local population within the County.

“QBC seeks to present tangible insights to PECAHN relating to the demographic breakdown of two main groups of people: local residents who can afford market rent housing but are unable to find anything available, and local residents who require affordable housing,” said Mehta. “Additionally, to better understand the depth of the housing crisis in PEC, the survey also aims to understand how the lack of housing infrastructure has hindered hiring practices within the local economy.”

Relevant data is to include resident ages, family sizes and composition, household income and special needs relating to housing.

The QBC team hopes that the independent research data gathered will help support
PECAHN’s application for funding to build its complex in Wellington, as well as shape the decision regarding the appropriate housing development mix.

Those with questions regarding the survey, can reach out to the QBC team at qbcconsulting2019@gmail.com

Click, or scan the QR code below, to complete the survey and share it with family, friends or employers who say they are having difficulty that there is no housing available.

Go to www.bit.ly/pechousing on any device, or scan the QR code.