O'Connell Mahon Architects’ Post

Thank you Councilor Hall-Harper for emphasizing the connection between affordable housing and mental well-being in your remarks yesterday at the Green Country Habitat for Humanity and Boomtown Development Co. groundbreaking for Black Wall Street Square. I hope your full remarks are posted somewhere; they were excellent! In the absence of access to your great statistics, Google helped me find a few more: -Poor housing increases risk of depression 64% over a lifetime. (MacArthur Foundation) -In the 2 years following eviction, people were more likely to visit an emergency room or require hospitalization for a mental health condition. (Huduser.org) -On the connection between housing issues and mental health/social suffering: More than half of US households must devote over 50% of their income to paying for housing. This "structural violence" erodes individuals, families, and communities through chronic social suffering. (BJPsych Bulletin) This iniative will result in 25 single-family, owner-occupier homes and will go a long way toward preventing social suffering. Family & Children's Services G.T. Bynum

An excellent resource

Call for New Ideas is one of the best things we do at Commonweal. It's really simple: not-for-profits come up with ideas for housing and support models aimed at tackling a social injustice; and Commonweal funds the best ones. This Call for New Ideas theme is young people. Frontline organisations know what works and what doesn't, and crucially what's missing. That's why we give them the chance to tell us; and if we think it may work, we fund further research. The aim, as ever, is turn these ideas into pilot housing projects that run for up-to a decade. Whether it's an overlooked group, an original support measure, or an under-served city, we want your ideas. Follow the link below for more, or to get in touch with the team. And please share with your networks!

In our survey for the How People Of Color Think About Therapy report, one of the questions we asked participants was, "has anyone in your family gone to therapy"? The answers revealed that... 27% said that no members of their family has been to therapy before. 19.3% said that they do not know if anyone in their family has ever gone to therapy. 53.6% said that yes, they have family members that have gone to therapy. To see more data, head to innopsych.com download the full report. #MentalHealth #PeopleofColor #BipocMentalHealth #Community #Healing #InnoPsych #MentalHealthReport #BlackMentalHealth #Latinx #mentalwellness #emotionalwellbeing

No matter where you are, your city likely shares similarities with mine. Over the past few years, Ottawa’s core has seen significant changes due to the rise of remote work during the pandemic, leaving us searching for a new normal. Businesses are struggling, offices sit vacant, and young families are moving away in search of affordability. Ottawa is in dire need of transformation. "Living Capital: An Agenda for Aligned Action" shines as a beacon of visionary leadership and collaborative effort. Imagine a downtown filled with 40,000 new residents and 50,000 additional jobs. Picture the bustling streets of Sparks Street and the lively ByWard Market, where cafes and shops are thriving, street performers entertain crowds, and green spaces are filled with families enjoying the day. Envision a revitalized Rideau Canal, lined with new residential buildings and parks, and cultural landmarks like the National Arts Centre and the Ottawa Art Gallery buzzing with activity. This isn’t some pie-in-the-sky dream for 2034; it’s achievable with the right investments and partnerships. We need a $500 million fund to ignite these initiatives and focus on key projects to make our downtown the vibrant and resilient hub it’s destined to be. Ottawa Board of Trade deserves immense recognition for their unwavering commitment to the prosperity of our capital. Their leadership has galvanized stakeholders across various sectors to unify and ensure our city thrives. Equal thanks go to Mary W. Rowe and the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) for their expertise and dedication to fostering vibrant and equitable cities. Central to this vision is addressing our housing crisis. The "Living Capital" report emphasizes the urgent need to increase the number of residents in downtown Ottawa. We must streamline planning approvals and leverage public land for affordable housing to create a diverse and inclusive urban environment. The goal is ambitious but attainable: bring 40,000 new residents to downtown by 2034. This will significantly enhance the vibrancy and economic stability of our core. Additionally, we need to repurpose underutilized federal buildings for residential use where possible, providing much-needed housing and revitalizing these spaces. Let's create a living, breathing downtown where people can live, work, and play, fostering a community that supports both economic growth and social inclusion. A thriving city core creates a prosperous region. With strategic investments in housing and infrastructure, we can transform our downtown into a model of urban resilience and inclusivity, ensuring it remains a vital economic and cultural center for years to come. I'd be remiss to not remark, as Sueling Ching has previously, that we, as a community need 'radical collaboration.' Get involved in building a living capital that meets the needs of today and paves the way for a dynamic future.

The Business Intelligence Dashboard from 211 reveals that 299 needs for Utility Assistance were identified in Bruce Grey in 2024. This highlights a significant demand for support in this area, reflecting the community's ongoing challenges with managing utility costs. In July alone, they received 13 calls about Utility Assistance—averaging more than one call per day. This frequent outreach indicates that many individuals and families are in immediate need of help to maintain essential services. Utility Assistance is just one of the many reasons to reach out to 211. Whether you need help with housing, food, mental health services, or other critical needs, 211 is here to provide support and connect you with the resources available in your community. This information referral service is always ready to assist you in navigating these challenges and finding the help you need. #211Tuesday #211Ontario #UnitedWay #UnitedWayBruceGrey #GreyCounty #BruceCounty

Attn potential #grantees: Cook County Health is awarding over $44 million in #behavioralhealth #grants to #community #health centers, organizations, #education agencies, and federally-qualified #healthcenters serving #CookCounty through their Stronger Together Initiative. Applications must be limited to one of 6 strategies listed at https://lnkd.in/diGaxwxP. In addition, capacity building #workshops for the application will be held next week through April. The open call began on 3/6 and the deadline to submit a proposal is 4/17. According to Mental Health America's Screening (https://lnkd.in/dXivWHpy), Cook County was among the top 20 counties with the highest rates of suicidal ideation, severe #depression, #trauma survivors, and #PTSD. Read more about it and apply at https://lnkd.in/dWd-SzN4 to receive between $500,000 – $1M over a 26-month period. These #services are EXTREMELY NECESSARY for our #residents. #mentalhealth #nonprofits

🏠Housing and employment play a critical role in the recovery of individuals living with mental illness, and are key social determinants of health. NYS Governor Hochul plans to address homeless populations through a plan that creates 3,500 units of housing, in addition to employment programs. Read more here: https://loom.ly/9qO99yI #MentalHealthMatters #RoadToRecovery #socialdeterminantsofhealth

Enjoyed this piece from Steve Moseley in Inside Housing. Great to hear about how London & Quadrant Housing Trust is amplifying resident voice and sharing stories of people living in social housing to challenge stereotypes, which has also been done so beautifully through Shelter's #MadeInSocialHousing campaign. It's fantastic to see more being done about addressing and challenging stigma, particularly as it is one area of the Social Housing Green Paper that wasn't fully addressed through the White Paper. Social housing providers need to continue to look at whether the way they interact with tenants, and the services they deliver, make stigma better or worse. This includes voids and lettings standards. In our recent research for Longleigh Foundation, we found that tenants feel stigma when they move into their new social home and it doesn't have carpets or other floor coverings. Government could do so much more here too, through a funded improvement in standards. Longleigh is now involved in A Voice for Tenants, which I am sure will have a great impact on tenant voice on national policy, and also, I hope, addressing stigma. https://lnkd.in/efwdUKKh

Social housing is crucial in providing affordable and secure homes for millions in need. 🏠 However, the demand is now rising faster than the supply, leading to a housing crisis that affects countless lives. The cost of living crisis, mental health challenges, lack of job opportunities, relationship breakdowns, and physical and mental disabilities are all contributing to this growing gap. As more people seek social housing. 💷 At @gordonbrooksproperty, we’re dedicated to bridging this gap by helping care providers and landlords find the right match to support those in need. If you’re a landlord interested in social housing, reach out to us for assistance. 🙌 #SocialHousing #HousingCrisis #AffordableHousing #LandlordSupport #CommunityCare #GordonBrooksProperty #UKHousing #InclusiveLiving