Manitoba’s Commitment to Persons with Disabilities

Housing

Objective:

To improve the availability of quality housing for persons with disabilities that is affordable, accessible, supportive and safe

Key Accomplishments

• Round Table Recommendation: Manitoba Housing has introduced the Manitoba Shelter Benefit to help persons with disabilities and others pay rent in the private housing market
• Between 2006 and 2008, provincial design consultants helped government agencies, builders, developers, community groups, architects and the public develop and promote design features so new homes are accessible and visitable for persons with disabilities.
• EIA room and board rates for individuals requiring care and supervision, and who are living with a relative, were increased to equal the rates paid for individuals living with non-family members.
• Round Table Recommendation: Manitoba Housing promotes visitable design features.
• A Manitoba Housing Accessibility Committee, that includes the Disabilities Issues Office, is working to determine opportunities to provide accessible units specifically designed for persons with disabilities.

The essential elements of visitable design are:

1. One zero-step entrance, at the front, back or side of the house
2. All main floor doors, including bathrooms, with at least 81.3 cm (32 inches) of clear space
3. At least a half bath, but preferably a full one, on the main floor

• Manitoba Housing is undertaking major renovations to make 45 units accessible for persons with disabilities.
• Approximately 20 per cent of units built under the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI) and
  Initiatives contain visitable design features.
• Manitoba Housing has collaborated with a number of nonprofit community-based organizations to build four accessible homes in inner-city areas of Winnipeg to accommodate persons with disabilities. The homes include “green” features and environmentally friendly products for cabinets, countertops and paint. 
• Round Table Recommendation: The Disabilities Issues Office has worked with Manitoba Housing and the City of Winnipeg to host two public meetings to raise awareness about visitable design and housing for persons with disabilities.
• Staff and tenants living in provincial housing are now participating in the Project Safe Home Strategy, which includes:
  • training for all property managers
  • better communication about lease agreements
  • new security requirements
  • a new, focused investigative team
  • a property restitution initiative to ensure tenants take responsibility for property damage
  • a $1 million closed circuit television and card access initiative
  • rapid graffiti removal
  • a new, dedicated, Manitoba Housing office to manage all elements of fire safety

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2009/10 Down Payments

• Funding is now available for social and affordable housing throughout Manitoba. Has provided funding for new projects in Brandon, Thompson and The Pas that will include fully accessible units, and the ground floor units for these three projects will be visitable.
• Through cost-sharing agreements with the federal government, $5.4 million in funding is available for individuals and non-profit organizations to build new housing and/or renovate existing facilities to improve the accessibility of housing for persons with disabilities.
• 15 visitable units will be included in Phase 2 of the Waverly West development.
• Manitoba’s Homelessness Strategy with a Focus on Mental Health Housing will make important new investments to support persons with mental health issues totalling $10 million:
  • There will be 285 more mental health housing units with supports. Integrated housing options will range from independent living with support, to 24-hour supportive housing units
  • The Portable Housing Benefit will provide 600 low-income Manitobans who have mental-health issues and an unstable housing situation with a rent subsidy of up to $200 per month. The benefit will give access to a broader range of private housing, as well as housing supports provided by eight support workers in communities across Manitoba.
  • The Manitoba Housing Wellness Initiative (CWI) will expand from five Winnipeg sites to 14 sites province-wide. The expansion includes enhanced services and 11 housing and mental-health support workers.
  • The Homelessness Outreach Team has seven outreach workers located in Winnipeg, Thompson, The Pas and Brandon to help link the homeless with health, social services and housing opportunities.

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Future Directions

• The province will continue to enhance housing options with supports for persons with mental health concerns and/or addictions.
• Work will be undertaken to increase the availability of accessible and visitable housing.
• A Homelessness Prevention Summit (Fall 2009) will develop a long-term strategy to prevent homelessness.
• Round Table Recommendation: The Manitoba Building Standards Board has recently developed a sub-committee to review barrier free requirements in the Manitoba Building Code. The new Building Code is scheduled for release in 2011.  Amendments to the Building Code only apply to all new construction or major renovations of buildings in Manitoba
• There will be new initiatives to address the safety concerns of persons with disabilities who live in Manitoba Housing.

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Questions for Feedback

1. How can the province better promote visitable design?
2. What can be done to improve access to safe, affordable, quality housing for persons with disabilities?
3. What strategies can better promote accessible design to landlords and builders?

Leave your Feedback now.

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