Camiley (Front line worker)

Industry: Non-Profit Sector

Title: Outreach Worker

This question is particularly relevant to me at this moment, as my family and I have recently purchased a home in the city. The issue of housing affordability has significantly impacted my life, particularly in terms of my sense of community, both personally and professionally. Due to the rising cost of rent, we had to move out of our previous home. After much consideration, we determined that purchasing a home was our best option.

As my family members grow older, the issue of accessibility has further limited our housing options. We can no longer consider stacked condos or townhomes with multiple stairs, apartment buildings where stairs are the primary means of access in emergencies, or newer condos and apartments with technological features that may be difficult for them to adjust to. As a result of both the lack of affordable housing and these accessibility restrictions, we’ve had to relocate further away from the community we’ve called home for a long time.

This relocation has had a significant impact on my personal life. Community activities I once participated in regularly have become much more difficult and inconvenient to access. Reliable public transportation is less accessible from where I am, many of my close friends live farther away, and there are times when I must forgo enjoyable city events simply because it would a major undertaking to get there and back.

In terms of my professional life, as an Outreach Worker who frequently engages with individuals in the community, this relocation has made it more challenging to connect with the community. The distance has made it harder to reach out to people, and transporting outreach materials or commuting to different opportunities has either become more costly or time-consuming. This adds further inconvenience to my daily work and has made it more difficult to effectively serve the community.

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