On Monday, June 17 Kitchener City Council will vote on a new rental replacement bylaw prepared by City staff with community input. A rental placement bylaw is an anti-displacement strategy that helps to maintain affordable housing stock and protects buildings and communities from mass displacement. The bylaw places expectations on landlords and building owners to behave ethically - and it empowers municipalities to enforce these expectations. Keep reading to learn how you can help.
Ask Council to Pass the Rental Replacement Bylaw
The LEWG Needs Your Help
The Lived Expertise Working Group (LEWG) has made critical contributions to the City of Kitchener's awareness, understanding, and approaches to addressing homelessness - but there's still so much left to do. After working alongside the LEWG for the past 2 years, City staff know this firsthand.
On Monday, June 17, City staff will be presenting a proposal to Council to extend this work with the full support and resources it requires from the City. Keep reading to learn how you can help.
The 2023 Annual Report is Here!
From celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Festival Neighbourhoods, to welcoming 17 new grassroots groups to the CivicHub, to launching the Lived Expertise Prototyping Cohort inside the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness...we were really growing through it in 2023!
We're thrilled to share our latest Annual Report and hope you'll enjoy reflecting on the past year with us. A sincere thank you to everyone who helps make this work possible - the funders, agency partners, City and Regional staff, and most importantly, the lived experts, grassroots organizers, and community allies whom we are guided by and honoured to learn from every day.
Join Us: Rental Replacement Bylaw Workshop
Interested in tenant rights and advocacy? Please join us for a free workshop on the new Rental Replacement Bylaw that will be going to Kitchener City Council in a few weeks!
Date: Monday, May 27, 2024
Time: 6:30pm - 8pm
Location: SDC Office (73 Water St. N,
Kitchener - enter off Duke St.)
Click below for more info
Growing through it: 2023-24 Annual General Meeting
Please join our 2023-24 annual general meeting to learn about the different ways SDC has grown this past year. PLUS: take in a thought-provoking play on housing precarity, brought to you by KW Kaleidoscope Collective (a proud member of the Civic Hub).
- Thursday, June 13, 2024
- 5:30pm - 7:30pm
- 23 Water St. N, in Kitchener (enter off Duke St.)
RSVP to reserve your spot today!
Remembering Charles Nichols (1961 - 2024)
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of our colleague, friend, and Board member Charles Nichols. As we grieve Charles' passing, we also wish to celebrate his life and the dedication with which he fought for those on the margins. Please join us at the SDC office for a Celebration of Life on Friday, May 10 (5-7pm).
Lived Experts Weigh In: Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
The Lived Expertise Prototyping process was started in 2023 so that staff and Council at the Region of Waterloo could learn and benefit directly from the insights and knowledge of those with lived or living experience of homelessness and housing instability.
It has been an honour for the Social Development Centre to facilitate this ongoing process, and today we are pleased to share the final report outlining the recommendations made by the Lived Expertise prototyping cohort for addressing homelessness in Waterloo Region.
You're Invited: SDC Open House!
We can't wait to welcome you into our space again at this year's open house on Tuesday, March 26 (4-7pm)!
Come meet the new faces on our team. Socialize with others who share your values. Learn how you can strengthen grassroots and community connections. And bring a copy of this flyer for a chance to win one of our door prizes!
A Community Dialogue On Homelessness
No more status quo solutions!
SDC invites you to join community organizers, service providers, and elected officials on March 9 for an evening of learning and advocacy around homelessness and housing policy. The purpose of Hope for Ending Homelessness - A Community Dialogue" is to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to build a shared understanding - of the issues, potential solutions, and the support that's needed from all levels of government to address this crisis.
Funding Announcement: Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
SDC is thrilled to receive funding from Region of Waterloo to continue delivering two critical programs as part of the Region's Plan to End Chronic Homelessness:
- The Eviction Prevention Peer Support Program, which plays an essential role in addressing homelessness in the long-term here in Waterloo Region.
- The Lived Expertise Prototyping Project, a unique initiative that invites community members with lived expertise in homelessness to directly influence the Region's Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.
Read the full media release here.
© Social Development Centre Waterloo Region