For more than a decade, serious public concern has been growing over the cost of housing and the shortage of affordable options geared to low- and moderate-income households globally. Research has shown that a large and increasing share of the population cannot afford its housing costs. In Canada, the gap has increased between the number of households that need supportive housing geared to income and the number of these units the current housing system can deliver. Increasing demand for this type of housing has put incredible pressure on cities and social housing providers to try and meet demand. Cities have been depending on market-developers to provide affordable options through varied incentive programs, but uptake has been slow due to their lower profitability. Within the global context of unaffordability, we are seeing a re-emergence of alternative models of provision and ownership being piloted by cities and community groups around the world. These alternatives are largely based on principles of co-production and community ownership that recognize that housing can be both a strong driver of productive economic development as well as a means to improving social well-being and the quality of life for all. Such models include co-operatives and community land trusts. While these models are still seen as alternatives to mainstream supply, public and social housing operators have proven their viability and potential in helping fill the affordable housing gap.

Through a combination of research methods taken from the fields of design thinking, foresight, and systems thinking, this Major Research Project explores alternative housing models in Canada and abroad. A focus is made on building institutional resilience, by looking at emerging patterns of increased self-reliance, entrepreneurial strategies, and partnerships for the provision of new social housing. Additionally, this project considers new paradigms being explored in the housing and city-building space which acknowledge the complexity of varied perspectives in cities, as well as the climate-related emergencies and other factors that impact the housing ecosystem. Finally, this project proposes a conceptual co-production model of housing provision by leveraging public land.