{"id":147,"date":"2021-07-27T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-27T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/chaimcentre\/2021\/health-starts-at-home-housing-neighborhoods-and-urban-health-inequity\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T13:03:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T17:03:21","slug":"health-starts-at-home-housing-neighborhoods-and-urban-health-inequity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/2021\/health-starts-at-home-housing-neighborhoods-and-urban-health-inequity\/","title":{"rendered":"Health Starts at Home: Housing, Neighborhoods and Urban Health Inequity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Health Starts at Home: Housing, Neighborhoods and Urban Health Inequity\n <\/h1>\n \n \n <\/header>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n
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Hilary Ziraldo, Carleton University Student
\u200b<\/em>
On the day I wrote this, exactly one year had passed since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Like every other day that year, I was at my home in Toronto, only leaving to get groceries or to exercise outside. When I ran into my mom as she headed down the stairs to her basement work-from-home setup, she liked to joke that there was \u201cheavy traffic\u201d on her morning commute. Joking aside, COVID-19 has changed how we interact with our physical environments. We have become increasingly dependent on our homes and neighbourhoods to support our physical and mental health needs, and this has intensified health disparities between those living in adequate and inadequate conditions.\u00a0
\u200b
\u200bThe impacts of housing on health are numerous. Overcrowding can increase the spread of communicable infections, while chronic diseases, such as asthma, are associated with substandard heating, insulation and dampness (1,2). Unsafe or unaffordable housing is also a source of chronic stress and can lead to social isolation and poor mental health (2,3,4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u200bDespite these broad consequences, 15.3% of Ontario households live in unsuitable, inadequate or unaffordable conditions, and affordable housing has been consistently de-prioritized by the provincial government<\/a> (5). I find this alarming because housing is an essential human right, yet continues to be treated as non-essential by government decision-makers and the voting public.

\u200bDue the high rates of poor-quality and unaffordable housing in Ontario, stay at home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic confined many Ontarians to unhealthy living conditions. Essential workers are also impacted because income is a determinant of housing quality, and the reality is that many frontline jobs are poorly compensated<\/a> (6). For essential workers living in crowded or intergenerational households, continuing to work puts themselves and their families at greater risk due to both workplace exposures and their household conditions.

Beyond housing, our neighbourhoods can have a large impact on health. Residents are more likely to be physically active in safe, walkable neighbourhoods and to choose healthy foods when they are easily accessible (7,8). In neighbourhoods designed to facilitate gatherings, residents perceive greater social support and a stronger sense of community belonging (8). Due to the impact of neighbourhood features on health, vast disparities in health may occur between otherwise geographically close communities.
\u200b
Like quality of housing, quality of neighbourhoods is largely determined by income (6) and this cannot be fixed by simply investing in the development of low-income neighbourhoods. When lower income neighbourhoods are revitalized, gentrification may occur. Gentrification refers to the transformation of the social, economic, cultural, physical and demographic features of a neighbourhood, and often leads to the displacement of long-term and socially marginalized residents (9). In a neighbourhood impacted by gentrification, property and rental values are inflated, pushing vulnerable populations to relocate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u200bHowever, there are ways to break the cycle of revitalization and displacement caused by gentrification. The City of Ottawa is incorporating public health concepts into urban growth strategies by creating \u201815-minute neighbourhoods\u2019 (10). A 15-minute neighbourhood is one in which all (or most) daily needs can be accessed within a 15-minute walk from one\u2019s home. The goal of a 15-minute neighbourhood is to reduce reliance on vehicles, increase social connections, and promote equity through improved access to daily needs (10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u200bAt the provincial level, Ontario has tried to combat income-based disparities in access to healthy built environments through inclusionary zoning regulations (11). Inclusionary zoning is a strategy to increase affordable housing in desirable neighbourhoods. Under an inclusionary zoning system, every new housing development must be mixed income, meaning that a range of income levels can afford to live in high-quality housing within updated neighbourhoods. Inclusionary zoning has shown some success in the United States, but there is concern that provincial actions will be ineffective at the municipal level<\/a>. Under the current system, the power to enforce inclusionary zoning lies with municipal governments, that will need to implement bylaws and regulations surrounding the construction of affordable housing units (12). By leaving decisions on inclusionary zoning to municipalities, substantial changes are not guaranteed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u200bWhen we understand the magnitude of Ontario\u2019s housing crisis, it is easy to support policy action, like inclusionary zoning. But, take a moment to consider your perspective if affordable housing was proposed in your own neighbourhood? As is too often the case, such a policy might be easy to support until you are personally affected. For residents living near areas allocated for affordable housing, the \u201cnot in my backyard\u201d (NIMBY) phenomenon is both common and predictable. The NIMBY phenomenon refers to the opposition of new developments by residents when they believe the development will negatively impact their neighbourhood or property value. Classical examples of the NIMBY phenomenon include responses to safe injection sites and homeless shelters<\/a>, but affordable housing is similarly affected (13). NIMBY responses are often founded in stereotypes and stigma and serve to perpetuate social inequities. One method governments and developers can use to fight the NIMBY phenomenon is to engage and inform residents throughout the planning process. Importantly, we can individually work against NIMBY-ism by discussing the value of diverse communities with family, friends, and neighbours and being leaders for social equity within our own neighbourhoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As I sat at my desk in Toronto with the entire province under stay at home orders, I couldn\u2019t help but appreciate how much I relied on my home and neighbourhood over the past year. But, for many Ontarians, hiding away at home has not been a refuge from the dangers of COVID-19. Improving access to healthy homes and neighbourhoods is a complex battle involving political priorities, revitalization and gentrification, and local sentiments. As we move forwards in the COVID-19 pandemic and into its aftermath, we must do more to ensure that \u201chome\u201d is a healthy environment for all Ontarians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Brown, K. A., Jones, A., Daneman, N., Chan, A. K., Schwartz, K. L., Garber, G. E., \u2026 Stall, N. M. (2021). Association between nursing home crowding and COVID-19 infection and mortality in Ontario, Canada. JAMA Internal Medicine, 181(2), 229\u2013236. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1001\/jamainternmed.2020.6466<\/a><\/li>
  2. World Health Organization. (2018). WHO housing and health guidelines. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK535293\/<\/a><\/li>
  3. Pevalin, D. J., Reeves, A., Baker, E., & Bentley, R. (2017). The impact of persistent poor housing conditions on mental health: A longitudinal population-based study. Preventive Medicine, 105, 304\u2013310. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ypmed.2017.09.020<\/a><\/li>
  4. Tomaszewski, W. (2013). Living environment, social participation and wellbeing in older age: The relevance of housing and local area disadvantage. Population Ageing, (6), 119\u2013156. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s12062-012-9077-5<\/a><\/li>
  5. Government of Ontario. (2020). Community housing renewal: Ontario\u2019s action plan under the National Housing Strategy. Retrieved March 13, 2021, from https:\/\/www.ontario.ca\/document\/community-housing-renewal-ontarios-action-plan-under-national-housing-strategy\/housing-needs-ontario<\/a><\/li>
  6. Raphael, D., Bryant, T., Mikkonen, J., & Raphael, A. (2020). Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts, 2nd Edition. Retrieved from https:\/\/thecanadianfacts.org\/The_Canadian_Facts-2nd_ed.pdf<\/a><\/li>
  7. Krieger, J., & Higgins, D. L. (2002). Housing and health: Time again for public health action. American Journal of Public Health, 92(5), 758\u2013768.<\/li>
  8. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2017). The Chief Public Health Officer\u2019s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2017: Designing healthy living. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/content\/dam\/phac-aspc\/documents\/services\/publications\/chief-public-health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada\/2017-designing-healthy-living\/PHAC_CPHO-2017_Report_E.pdf<\/a><\/li>
  9. Cole, H., Anguelovski, I., Bar\u00f3, F., Garc\u00eda-Lamarca, M., Kotsila, P., P\u00e9rez del Pulgar, C., \u2026 Triguero-Mas, M. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic: Power and privilege, gentrification, and urban environmental justice in the global north. Cities & Health, 1\u20135. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/23748834.2020.1785176<\/a><\/li>
  10. City of Ottawa. (2020). Big 5 Moves. Retrieved from https:\/\/engage.ottawa.ca\/the-new-official-plan\/news_feed\/the-5-big-moves<\/a><\/li>
  11. Government of Ontario. (2018). O. Reg. 232\/18: Inclusionary zoning. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from Ontario.ca website: https:\/\/www.ontario.ca\/laws\/view<\/a><\/li>
  12. Government of Ontario. (2020). Citizen\u2019s guide to land use planning: The Planning Act. Retrieved March 3, 2021, from https:\/\/www.ontario.ca\/document\/citizens-guide-land-use-planning\/planning-act<\/a><\/li>
  13. Ontario Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). Human rights and not-in-my-back-yard (NIMBY). Retrieved March 15, 2021, from http:\/\/www.ohrc.on.ca\/en\/human-rights-and-not-my-back-yard-nimby<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Link References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Talwar Kapoor, G. (2021, April 3). Successive budgets show affordable housing is clearly not a priority for Ontario. Retrieved April 25, 2021, from the Toronto Star website: https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/opinion\/contributors\/2021\/04\/03\/successive-budgets-show-affordable-housing-is-clearly-not-a-priority-for-ontario.html<\/a><\/li>
    2. Wellesley Institute. (n.d.). Ontario announces evidence-based inclusionary zoning regulations and action shifts to the municipal level for implementation. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https:\/\/www.wellesleyinstitute.com\/ontario-announces-evidence-based-inclusionary-zoning-regulations-and-action-shifts-to-the-municipal-level-for-implementation\/<\/a><\/li>
    3. Keenan, E. (2016, January 2). The good and bad of Toronto NIMBYism. Retrieved April 26, 2021, from the Toronto Star website: https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/news\/gta\/2016\/01\/02\/youre-a-toronto-nimby-now-what.html<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Picture References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Archibald, A. (2019). Liberals for inequality: NIMBYism and affordable housing In American cities. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from Pax on both houses website: http:\/\/paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com\/2019\/08\/liberals-for-inequality-nimbyism-and.html<\/a><\/li>
      2. Government of Ontario. (2021). Ontario Ministry of Health. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ONThealth\/photos\/a.546566125392952\/3516644231718445<\/a><\/li>
      3. Ottawa Public Health. (2020). Health and the built environment. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https:\/\/www.ottawapublichealth.ca\/en\/public-health-topics\/health-and-the-built-environment-.aspx<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        This blog was originally written as part of the HLTH5402 course.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Hilary Ziraldo, Carleton University Student\u200bOn the day I wrote this, exactly one year had passed since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Like every other day that year, I was at my home in Toronto, only leaving to get groceries or to exercise outside. When I ran into my mom as she […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":903,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions\/903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/the-chaim-centre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}