City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 3106, Title: View of the courtyard at Spruce Court

Although it’s believed that providing people with better housing improves their physical and mental health, it’s difficult to prove. Like many housing researchers I’ve grappled with the same question that has remained scientifically un-tested. But over the past three years, I’ve worked with Dr. James Dunn, an internationally renowned scientist who specializes in the health impacts of housing and neighbourhood interventions, is studying the very issue through a natural research experiment, the Regent Park Social Housing Redevelopment Project. With only seven studies done like this in the last 100 years, this unique research project merits much attention by those working in the housing sector. Being the first of its kind in the world, and in Canada, it is recognized for using a natural method of conducting research, its longitudinal perspective, and its scientific integrity.

The Regent Park Story

Built 60 years ago as Canada’s first and largest social housing project, Regent Park occupies a 69-acre site in downtown Toronto and home to 7,500 people living in 2,087 social housing units is under transformation. Toronto Community Housing (TCH), which owns and manages Regent Park, is demolishing and rebuilding the entire community in six phases. The fundamental objective of the $ 1-billion, 12 year plan which began in 2005, is to reverse the decline of aging stock and create a financial operational model by mixing incomes and tenure.

This community-based academic partnered research project investigates the impact of Regent Park’s redevelopment on the health of social housing residents – both adults and children.

For proponents and providers of social housing, this is crucial research that will inform redevelopment planning and provide solid evidence to demonstrate the impacts of new built urban forms, in particular the impact affordable and quality housing has on the livelihood of low and moderate income households.

SHSC is optimistic that the evidence will show the benefits of improving the housing situation for Regent Park residents. Ambiguous however, is whether transformative improvements, such as new social housing, can change the situation of marginalized residents that have lived in extended periods of poverty. While the controversy still continues about mixed income communities and whether to demolish a social housing project, relocating residents and rebuilding the sites can truly benefit the original residents, which Dr. Dunn’s research will surely shed some light on. The initial results of Phase 1 residents are expected late 2011.

Until then I ponder the question: Is redevelopment and mixed income communities the current way of thinking about how to do social housing right ? What are your thoughts?

Study at a Glance

Principal Investigator: Dr. James Dunn, Associate Professor McMaster University, Chair in Research on Urban Neighbourhoods, Community Health & Housing, & Scientist, Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital.

Research Objective: Examine the changes in the health of low-income adults & developmental competencies of their children aged 3 to 10 after moving into the redeveloped social housing units in RP.

Research Questions: Does the health and well-being of Regent Park residents improve after redevelopment compared to their baseline health status and compared to a control group?

Approach: At each phase of the development, baseline data is collected from families prior to their move to temporary off-site social housing. Follow up interviews are completed 12 months after the same individuals move into their new social housing units in the rebuilt Regent Park development. The process will repeat with subsequent waves of subsidized tenants relocated through the different phases.
Advisory Committee: Includes representatives from SHSC, TCH and Regent Park residents’ groups as well as municipal, provincial and federal housing officials. The research team is based at the Centre for Research on Inner City Health at St. Michael’s Hospital.

Research Status: Baseline and follow-up interviews have been conducted with a sample (N=60) of residents of four buildings (Phase 1) that were demolished in 2007; some of these residents moved back to Regent Park in May 2009. Baseline data has also been collected from a number of participants (N=154) living in housing that was demolished (Phase 2) in fall 2010. Recruiting of the comparison group is currently underway.

For the past year, I have been part of the planning team for the amazing new Centre for Learning at 540 Dundas Street East. It’s in the heart of the vibrant new community emerging through the Regent Park Revitalization.

From June 10 to 12, the Centre held its Open House. On June 11, both Marwa Eldardiry and I from SHSC helped out along with reps from Ryerson, George Brown, U of T, and graduates of the Immigrant Women Integration Program (IWIP) who are there to screen their Digital Stories.

Ryerson University representatives await local community members.

As I walk north from Queen past the mosque and approach Dundas, I see the construction underway and new town homes are almost complete. In the midst of brand new mixed-rental buildings, commercial spaces, condos and townhomes –change is happening. You can feel it. On the corner of Dundas and Parliament (altered considerably since Google Streetview photographed it) there is a new Tim Horton’s filled with families, an RBC, a Rogers store and a Sobeys. People are talking to neighbours, walking dogs and waiting for the streetcar to take them to work.

Approaching the doorway to the Centre of Learning, there is a bright yellow sign tied with balloons to let people know about the Open House. Inside, information tables are filled with displays and brochures and a computer lab set up with online surveys to find out which courses, workshops and training people are interested in. Marwa is helping someone complete a survey. A table is filled with scrumptous treats and samosas made by local residents. There’s an arts and crafts room set up for children staffed by volunteers from Art Heart and an assortment of markers and paper eggs to colour. Beautiful photos line the walls. Community members are starting to arrive.

The main event follows. The Centre for Digital Story Telling has been working with the women in the IWIP program to create their digital stories and one story– by Sureya – relays the reality of moving with her family to her new home in the revitalization process.

As a housing professional, having worked at Toronto Community Housing for over five years and now at SHSC, Sureya’s story is particularly poignant because it is a testament to all the years of planning and tenant engagement, working with the community and staying true to the vision of a mixed income, mixed housing community with roads, parks, retail and community space. Sureya’s digital story is one of social inclusion. And it’s Sureya’s story , in Sureya’s words, voice and imagery.

The new Regent Park is becoming a creative, exciting place – filled with socially innovative system enablers like the Centre of Learning, the Small Business Portal and the Employment and Enterprise Hub. Coming soon – the Arts and Culture Centre and the Aquatic Centre. Stay tuned!!

For more information about the Regent Park Centre of Learning, visit: http://www.tccld.org/