The RentSafe Owen Sound Collaborative was formed in 2019, building on the momentum generated by the local RentSafe EquIP participatory research (see below) and with strong links to the province-wide RentSafe initiative.
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RentSafe Owen Sound Collaborative
As the RentSafe EquIP research project came to a close, some 25 community members who were involved in the research formed the RentSafe Owen Sound Collaborative to continue the work that had been started. The Collaborative includes people from multiple sectors and perspectives, including housing providers, leadership and staff from health and social services, Indigenous and non-profit organizations, emergency services, tenants, and community leaders. See list of Collaborative Members.
Rental Housing Surveys
The group’s first effort is to survey landlords/property managers and tenants about their views and experiences regarding rental housing in Owen Sound. Taken together, the surveys will provide a better understanding of rental housing conditions and the types of issues that housing providers and tenants are facing. The surveys are intended to inform community dialogue on issues and potential solutions.
RentSafe Owen Sound Survey of Landlords and Property Managers: This brief online survey, conducted in partnership with researchers at the University of Ottawa, launched on September 15, 2021 and invited input from all landlords and property managers owning or managing rental housing in the City of Owen Sound. The survey is now closed.
- Media Release: RentSafe Owen Sound Collaborative Launches Survey of Landlords and Property Managers on Rental Housing Conditions
RentSafe Owen Sound Tenants Survey: In Winter 2021-2022, the RentSafe Owen Sound Collaborative will conduct a survey with tenants who rent housing in Owen Sound. More information coming soon.
RentSafe EquIP
From 2016-2019, the RentSafe EquIP research project in Owen Sound, aimed to catalyze and support meaningful interaction among people from diverse sectors to (1) better understand the causes and consequences of housing inadequacy as seen from multiple viewpoints, and (2) foster new ways of conceiving of issues and finding new ways of working together toward potential solutions. RentSafe EquIP (Equity-focused Intersectoral Practice) was participatory action research, which means that university and community-based researchers were working together to support positive change in the community.
Final report: We Are All Neighbours
Video: Housing Issues? We’re here to help
RentSafe Owen Sound Roundtable: Meeting Summary
Lessons from a rural housing crisis
Towards equity-focused intersectoral practice (EquIP) in children’s environmental health and housing: the transformational story of RentSafe
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