January 20, 2005Advisory Committee on Seniors’ Housing

‘Opportunities in Older Adults’ Housing’

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Presenters

Raymond Applebaum • Immediate Past Chair of Peel Advisory

Working Group on Older Adults’ Housingand Executive Director, Peel Senior Link

Glen O’Brecht • Director of Property Management

Peel Living

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Peel Advisory Working GroupOn Older Adults’ Housing

INTRODUCTION

• Origin of Advisory Working Group

• Who/What is it?

• Highlights

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ORIGIN

• Housing Needs and Options of Older Adults in Peel – 2000

• Purpose

current/future needs of older adults

methodology for assessment of need

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Focus of Recommendations

• Six Categories (30 recommendations)

partnershipsmeeting need for affordable housingplanning and designsupport services and housingcommunication and educationresearch and monitoring

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Advisory Working Group

• First recommendation

• 28 members, multi-disciplinary, community-based

• TOR approved by Council, June, 2000

• Report to Regional Council

• Chaired by service organization

• Secretariat/research support – Housing & Property Department

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Advisory Working Group

• Mandate

Develop/promote ways to meet current/future housing needs of older adults

Assist Region to implement 30 study recommendations

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Strategic workplan – approved by Council• Best practices report• Bus tour of innovative housing options outside Peel• Think Tank with local planning and building

departments• New linkages• Housing preferences survey• Forum for Developers and Builders• Briefings/Quarterly Reports - 6 Regional

Councillors and Municipal Support

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GTA Population, 1961 - 2031

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2021 2031

Po

pu

lati

on

Toronto

Durham

York

Peel

Halton

GTA

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Peel Population Pyramids1996, 2001 1991, 2001

6420246

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-74

75+

Fem

ale

2001

Mal

e 20

01Fe

mal

e 19

96M

ale

1996

6420246

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-74

75+

Fem

ale

2001

Mal

e 20

01Fe

mal

e 19

91M

ale

1991

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Percent of Peel’s Population 55 Years or Older, 1991, 1996, 2001

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

Peel Mississauga Brampton Caledon

Perc

en

t

1991

1996

2001

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Peel’s Population Distribution of Adults 55 Years or Older

0

20

40

60

80

100

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4 th Qtr

East

West

North

approximately approximately approximately 98,000 161,000 443,000

1991 2001 2031

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Forecast of Population 55 Years or Older, 2001 - 2031

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031

Pop

ulat

ion

Peel

Mississauga

Brampton

Caledon

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In Ontario:

• One in four seniors aged 65+ lives alone

• Seniors aged 65+ will outnumber children younger than 15 by 2026

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Study Key Messages

• Demographic trends

• Need for diversity in housing

• Opportunities for innovation

• Opportunities for partnership

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Study Purpose

• To share findings to promote appropriate housing development.

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Study Research Methodology

• Survey to 6,000

• 1,301 responses (response rate of 22 %)

• Plus 8 focus groups (98 participants) (including Chinese and Punjabi focus groups)

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• Study is one of the most comprehensive research projects in Ontario that examines housing needs of older adults.

www.region.peel.on.ca/housing/older2.htm

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SURVEY FINDINGSCHARACTERISTICS OF RESPONDENTS

Age

• 55-64 - 46%

• 65-74 - 34%

• 75 years + -20%

Gender - equal

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PLANS TO MOVE IN FUTUREWHEN PLANNING TO MOVE

44% - in 10 years or more 36% - within next 9 years 27% - within next 5 years

13% - within next 2 years 26% - do not know 31% - do not plan to move

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PLANS TO MOVE IN FUTURE5 MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS

1. Proximity to doctors and hospitals

2. Affordability

3. Proximity to shopping facilities

4. Proximity to close friends and family

5. Proximity to public transportation

ALSO

-Accessibility is very important.

-Over 1/2 of respondents want to remain in the same municipality.

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FEATURES OF PREFERRED DWELLING

Strong preference for living space on 1 floor

– Single detached dwelling (44%)– Low-rise apartment (19%)– High-rise (12%)– Row house/townhouse (8%)– Semi-detached (3%)

*Working group promotes public awareness of housing options

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HOME OWNERSHIP

• Majority (59%) want to own

PURCHASE PRICE:

• 1/3 want to pay less than $190,000

• under 1/3 want to pay between $190,000 and $250,000

• over 1/3 want to pay more than $250,000

• Largest group of respondents want to pay $200,000 or $250,000

51.7%

32.4%

14.3%

1.7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

A regular mixed age community or building

A retirement community geared to older adults w ho are active

A community for older adults that offers some assistance

Other

Preferred Community Types of Peel Respondents

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Figure 30: Percentage of Respondents Interested in Housing Option

38.4%32.4%

26.1%

14.8% 12.2%8.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Yes, I am interestedMaybe - but would like to learn more about it firstTotal of "Yes" and" Maybe"

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VIEWS ON HOUSING OPTIONSTHEMES FROM FOCUS GROUPS

• modest, no frills condos

• single level living space

• manufactured homes

• desire more information

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South Asian housing needs

• Peel study Chinese and Punjabi focus groups mostly new immigrants

• Another new study of established, middle and upper income South Asian people show some different & additional needs– Less need to live with others of same culture,

prayer room, extra rooms for family who may move in, large pantry in kitchen, pie-shaped lots preferred, designed for socializing, open concept design preferred except for kitchen which should be enclosed and well-ventilated.

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Example: Convertible Housing

• BC Home 2000• Home 2000 can

convert from a 4-bedroom, single family home to a code-compliant duplex.

• See CMHC representatives for more info

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A Multi-family home in Springdale, Brampton

• one main entrance • both floors have living

room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom and full bathroom

• suits 2 families • older adults may prefer

first floor

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“Today’s older consumers

are dynamic and

ever-changing.”

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Two distinct “larger” groups

• Baby Boomers aged 45-64

• Seniors 65 plus

These groups can also be divided into sub-groups.

Also consider geography, culture, income etc.

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Baby Boomers

In general, highly value:

• Youth – Peter Pan generation

• Freedom

• Integration

• Individuality

• Health & exercise

• Comfort and space

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Seniors

In general, highly value:• Company of people their own age• Security• Sense of Community• Lifestyle• Vacation-like• Health & exercise• Access to essential services

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Boomers vs. Seniors

• Both Prefer:

pedestrian-friendly, close to walking trails, pet-friendly, designed for socializing, not too far from children and grandchildren, close access to services, no stairs, patient sales people who give detailed info, sense of community (friends).

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Boomers

• no look-alike cookie-cutter housing

• especially the front of house and entrance

• lots of options

• mixed housing

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Seniors

• More open to older adult communities• Will spend more time at home and with

neighbours so social space and pedestrian features even more important

• Wheelchair friendly • Consider a kid friendly space for grandchildren • Pets are more than pets - companions• #1 reason why seniors choose one home over

another is community

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Key messages

• The 50 plus market is the future of house building.

• If builders and developers are not developing for the boomers and seniors, they are missing significant financial opportunities.

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Peel’s future of 55+ residentsPopulation will more than quadruple

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

10 0

1s t

Q t r

3 r d

Q t r

E as t

Wes t

N or t h

1991 2031approximately approximately

98,000 443,000

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RECOMMENDATIONS

These recommendations were formed and approved by the Peel

Advisory Working Group on Older Adults’ Housing, and were

developed based on knowledge, information, and findings

documented by the AWG.

That the Government of Ontario:

 

Increase the number and scope of rent supplements in Ontario to address the immediate and projected shortfall of available affordable housing for seniors.

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Provide funding for community support services (including but not limited to Supportive Housing) and other measures, including increased allowances for capital reserves, that would enable tenants of seniors’ non-profits to age in place where this is a preferable care option to institutionalization.

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Shorten the timeline for the Province ofOntario to match the Federal AffordableHousing contribution for communities withexpressed interest and capacity to proceed.

                  Initiate a joint planning and funding mechanism between relevant Ministries to ensure the approval of capital/building projects, simultaneously with operational funding for community support services.

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  Initiate a multi-year funding approach for capital and operational reviews and approvals.

Provide municipalities with the financial support, and incentives to build or renovate existing opportunities to address affordable housing options for seniors, e.g. development charges replacement funds, provisions for flexibility within the Municipal Planning Act, as well as provide municipalities with access & retrieval of seniors’ data from Statistics Canada for local decision making, and innovations such as homesharing.

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Circulate AWG report to key decision makers (civil servant and politicians) in relevant Ontario/Federal Ministries, Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA), Service Managers, and post on the Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat, and Municipal Affairs and Housing websites.

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Provide resources to the AWG and the Region of Peel to document the development, learnings and outcomes of the AWG, and develop a model template and best practices document to share with Ontario communities.