We need more housing': Calgary council prepares for marathon meeting to tackle housing crisis

Calgarians struggling to find a place to live are urging councillors to act quickly ahead of meeting later this week discussing the city's housing crisis.

On Thursday, members of Calgary's Community Development Committee will review the 2024-2030 housing strategy, hearing public feedback on a list of about 80 recommendations to try and increase housing supply and offer more affordable options.

More than 120 people are already signed up to speak at the meeting, which is expected to stretch well into Friday.

Gabriella Wong Ken, a registered nurse, says her search to find a place to buy or rent has been exhausting. 

"It was quite difficult to find a place suitable to my preferences and my budget," she said. 

"I thought that I (had) a lot of money saved up, but it basically wouldn't get me much in the current market."

Wong Ken now plans to instead build a suite above a yet-to-be built garage in her sister's backyard.

She's not alone in her struggles to find a suitable place to live with the current supply. 

Recent data from the city's Housing Needs Assessment shows about one-in-five households cannot afford their current housing. The average cost to buy a detached home has jumped 37 per cent in the last three years, while rent has increased 40 per cent in that same time period. 

"Ultimately, we need more housing. We need more market housing, we be more non-market housing and we need a diversity of housing choice as well," said Tim Ward, the city's manager of housing solutions. 

Mayor Jyoti Gondek said Tuesday she already plans to bring forth a trio of amendments, including providing $50 million in funding to address housing shortages in the post-secondary sector specifically.

Gondek also wants councillors to consider dedicating a city-owned site to develop an emergency housing program for families at risk of homelessness and she wants to pressure Ottawa to provide GST relief for affordable rental projects.