“HEARTWOOD PLACE FEELS LIKE HOME”
The lack of affordable housing in the Waterloo Region is a dramatic reality. Heartwood
Place , a non-profit charitable organization, aims to provide a safe place to live for those in need.
More than this, Heartwood Place provides ‘a home’. Tenants not only have a decent place to
live, but they also get practical support from the organization.
Canada does not have a national housing legislation despite the fact that homelessness in
Canada is a real social issue. A national legislation is needed to provide much needed stable,
low-rent affordable housing rather than emergency shelters, with their limited hours and
restrictions on duration of residency.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reports on the need for housing
in a given area. CMHC quantifies the number of households falling below three housing
standards- affordability (paying more than 30%), crowding (number of bedrooms relative to
household composition) and physical condition. According to the 2001 Kitchener Census
Metropolitan Area, just over 16,000 households (10.9%) were in core housing need with most
experiencing an affordability problem. The majority were renters (72%), compared to owners
(4.5%).
Poverty is usually measured in terms of income, but people can also be impoverished by
a lack of access to other resources, by social exclusion and by the stress of insecurity. The most
vulnerable to high rates of poverty as well as to deep and persistent poverty are usually single
mothers and their children, aboriginal people, individuals with physical and mental disabilities,
and seniors. Education is another critical factor in determining poverty; unskilled people living in
poverty are usually less likely able to improve their condition.
Affordable housing has multiple meanings for different individuals and it eventually
becomes not only affordable but also accessible. This would include building modifications for
persons with disabilities and subsidized rents for people with low income which are usually 25%
below the average market price allowing those in need to pay $500 monthly instead of $600$700. The Region of Waterloo works in partnership with numerous private and charitable
organizations such as Heartwood Place. The Region and cooperative non-profit organizations
such as Heartwood Place have the same common goal - providing affordable housing to people
in need. Everyone working at Heartwood Place agrees that a clean and safe environment is one
step to starting a new life, a sense of community and belonging is also necessary.
Heartwood Place on Gaukel used to be an old factory with big windows, sturdy
hardwood floor and wood beams. These architectural elements have been reclaimed and
integrated within the renovations. The dark blond hardwood floor is warm and inviting, the big
windows are new and energy efficient and the old beams have been left in place to add interest
and character. The kitchens are equipped with decent appliances and maple cupboards. The
selections made during construction focused on durable, easy- to-maintain products with
attractive finishes.
All of the tenants agreed in their interviews that the quality and cleanliness of the
building made them feel more comfortable and cared for. “It’s like a doll house! Everything is
new, it has hot water etc…” says a female tenant, who suffers from a physical disability. The
level of good maintenance has a clear impact on the tenants, “This place is very clean, extremely
clean!” another woman told me in a very enthusiastic tone. The current janitor takes great pride
in keeping the building neat and tidy. Living in the building gives him the opportunity to keep
the place spotless but also to get feedback from the tenants on how to improve both cleanliness
and security. Both the superintendent and the tenants are also environmentally conscious and use
“green products”’ to clean the building!
Security is a concern for most tenants at Gaukel St. One tenant, a young woman who
was a victim of domestic violence, feels really safe now; “Safety is the biggest thing. I like the
cameras, the fact that Keith is the only one who has the key to each apartment, and that only
selected people have access to the building”. Another tenant lived for many years in the Mayfair
Hotel in downtown Kitchener, an abandoned hotel complex where poor and disadvantaged
people lived in isolation and fear because of the numerous illegal activities that took place in the
premises. He is very happy that Heartwood Place on Gaukel is safe. “No one will ask you for
stuff or money like in the Mayfair”.
Security cameras on the interior and exterior of the building are essential to maintaining
the safety of the tenants and the building. Also, the controlled entrance is another important
aspect. In addition, there is also an active participation on the part of tenants which adds to the
well-being of the premises and the residents. Officially there are tenants who are employed by
Heartwood Place to ensure security when the superintendent is off duty.
During the interviews a majority of the tenants indicated that they like living downtown,
everything is conveniently located within a short walk-- the bus station, coffee shops, variety and
grocery stores and schools. There are classes for English as a Second Language within a few
blocks and other opportunities for training and education.
New tenants come to Heartwood Place on Gaukel through referrals, from other tenants
and local shelters and transitional housing. Keith observes that prospective tenants who are
introduced to him by current tenants are good possibilities because they would not want to bring
new people who will compromise the standards in Gaukel St. The superintendent and other staff
are highly respected and have a strong commitment to the tenants.
James describes Heartwood Place on Gaukel as “a place of change. There is a connection
between tenants and administrators and the human contact is always there”. Once a sense of trust
and self-esteem has been established, some tenants are willing to help other people in need and
this creates a sense of community and belonging in which people can find support when needed.
One tenant proudly said that he helped an abused lady who would never leave her apartment by
giving her books.
Many tenants at 19 Gaukel Street have spent long periods of time in affordable structures
administered by other non-profit organizations. These buildings were often dirty, unsafe, and
poorly managed. Most tenants described their living in that housing as a terrible and negative
experience. Not only are rental affordable accommodations in our region insufficient in number
(one of the tenants was on the waiting list for 9 years before moving into Gaukel St.), but many
are poorly maintained and poorly managed. Instead of benefiting deserving people they seem to
nurture criminal activities and tenants often feel threatened. Tom said “ Gaukel Street is
comfortable and relaxing”. Another difference some tenants mentioned is the difference
between the management at Gaukel St. and that in other affordable housing complexes. Here
people are not made to feel guilty for their social and economic situation. James said that “I like
this place because I do not feel victimized by the administration like in the other places I used to
live. I feel this is home, not housing”.
Julia and her husband immigrated to Kitchener from South America in 2005. She was
pregnant. Upon their arrival at the Kitchener bus station they did not have a place to go even for
that night. She recalls standing there and wondering what will happen next. “Then someone
asked us if we needed a place to stay. She was a Columbian tenant here. She showed us the
apartment and we liked it”. Without this woman’s help it would have been very difficult for this
young, inexperienced, and non-English speaking couple to find a decent place to live. Canada
has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world and new immigrants and refugees
are significant users of subsidized housing in our country. A little known fact is that
Kitchener is one of the most significant settlement areas in Canada, hence an increased need
for affordable housing.
In conclusion, Heartwood Place is an organization with a long-term goal of providing
more people with a decent place to live and to provide sound management. They are also
committed to educating the public to recognize the need for more affordable housing as well as
the social benefits of a safe living environment. Heartwood Place has to continue building strong
partnerships within the business community and the political forces at regional, provinical and
federal levels to secure the financial support required to fund the housing. It’s a big challenge but
a very necessary one for Heartwood Place to commit its efforts.
Information from a Thesis by Consuelo Griggio, Master’s Student in Anthropology at the
University of Waterloo