Generational Fairness
Have you heard the term “generational fairness”? And if so, does it make you cringe, or do you resonate with it? Let’s take a closer look at what this means, according to one of Canada’s biggest housing advocates, Generation Squeeze.
Gen Squeeze says: “Generational unfairness is a root cause of unaffordable housing, the high cost of raising a family, mounting climate risks, growing government debt, and rising medical costs that crowd out investments in wellbeing”
At THLC, we don’t think one generation is to blame for these mounting factors that are squeezing people out of the housing market. But we know they are real, so we focus on affordable housing solutions in Canada, such as Tiny Homes and other forms of hybrid living. We are also concerned about how this pressure affects the well-being of communities. And according to statistics such as those found in this report, housing prices have risen by over 300% since 2000. This rise in mortgage prices has also impacted rent prices, and many young working people, as well as newcomers; cannot afford a traditional mortgage. This can affect our morale, our ability to connect with others, and so many things that are non-issues when our fundamental needs have been met.
Investments Before Housing
Adequate housing is a human right, right?? The sad truth is that housing in Canada is now more of a commodity than anything. Homes are treated as a financial asset first, and a place to build a family, a community, or just build a life – second. Otherwise, wouldn’t governments mandate affordability solutions for all?
Let’s not demonize home ownership and renting. Making money on housing by owning it, building or improving it, or by operating well-maintained suites at fair rents is normally a good thing, because it helps people secure a home while they prepare to enter the market themselves.
Things become overly “commodified” when the mere ownership of homes and land is treated as an investment strategy — with the aim being to gain wealth (beyond principal payments) while bypassing the need for the average young or newcomer person to be able to afford a home amidst the rising cost of living.
This commodification (a.k.a. speculation) leads to entities profiting at the direct expense of others’ ability to find and afford a good home. Does this make them bad people? No. Is it bad to want a healthy investment portfolio? No, it isn’t. It’s just not fair to everyone else with the way things currently are. Inflation, for example.
At Tiny House Listings Canada, we hope that while the powers that be figure things out, we can help people find a place to call home. We understand that you may want a traditional home, and you may not. Maybe you love hybrid living, and maybe you love Tiny Homes because they are a lot less work than a bigger home. There are many reasons to love them. But let’s be honest – we all want the option, not to be forced into anything because that’s all that we can afford.
To learn about the 3 pillar housing solution from Generation Squeeze, click here. For more about Generational Fairness, click here.