A special thank you to all the COSCO member groups who participated. While focused on Vancouver, many of the recommendations are relevant to other communities in the Province.
Thank you to those who participated in the first phase of engagement for the Seniors Housing Strategy. We reached over 1,500 people through the phone survey, online surveys, public pop-ups and community outreach events, conversation kits, and stakeholder workshops and the ideas fair. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences and insights.
Please find the summary report of what we heard throughout the engagement here. The report outlines key housing challenges for seniors and older adults, identifies future housing needs, and includes directions for further exploration through the Strategy development.
Key findings from engagement:
- The majority of seniors are satisfied with their current housing situation. However, many low-income renters are vulnerable and often struggle to navigate the housing system, placing them at risk of homelessness.
- Housing affordability is the top challenge for adults 55+ in Vancouver, with 97% in support of adding more social and supportive housing options for seniors.
- Most people want to age in place in their current home, but not everyone can access the supports and home upgrades they need to do so.
Staff will now be taking the findings from this first phase to begin drafting the Strategy and advancing directions and actions. The first draft of the Seniors Housing Strategy will be released in early-2024 for public feedback.
Future updates and phases of this work will be posted to https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/seniors-housing