Resident Housing Stories

I have a large family and have been looking for months for a rental in Stratford that will suit our needs and have been unable. I don’t have an upper end on the budget, there just hasn’t been anything available.

We are nearing retirement and will want to downsize in the next few years. We don’t want to move into an apartment/condo/townhouse but there are very few options smaller single-family dwellings like have been built in Summerside for seniors.  Private developer built individual rental 2-bedroom small houses for seniors behind Royal LePage real estate office.  We should have this type of housing option available in Stratford.

I’ve grown up in Stratford and I love it here, but there is nothing available that is within a reasonable price range. I have excellent rental references, I am a perfect tenant, I’m quiet, I don’t party, and I have a moderate income with other financial support. It is ridiculous that I am unable to find anywhere to live in Stratford.

Stratford needs more housing. plain and simple. People I’ve grown up with and who have lived their whole lives in Stratford are forced to either move out of their community where they live, work and play, or they are forced to move to a different province entirely. I volunteer extensively within the community and I fear that once my lease is over I will have no other choice than to leave Stratford to find more affordable housing. I know this will present itself as a major problem in years to come as others who I volunteer with have also voiced their concerns around the cost and availability of housing. I have already witnessed this first hand with a few of our volunteers needing to leave to find cheaper housing. We do not need anymore $450,000 semi detached homes. We need 2 & 3 bedroom apartments that can be bought at a reasonable rate. I understand that the Town of Stratford is working towards providing more affordable housing but it seems when there are any types of major developments proposed the residents who will be living around the planned project complain of potential traffic issues, lack of privacy, etc. Unfortunately for them, we live in a community that is rapidly expanding. They obviously didn’t buy the property 15 years ago knowing that the massive undeveloped property in their backyard would stay that way forever. It seems like right now, it is a very “I got mine, so I don’t care” type of mentality at these meetings. I hope that the Town of Stratford can figure out a plan of action in time before we lose valuable volunteers, the youth in our community and any sense of affordability.

Stratford is becoming too upscale. Need some social housing, affordable housing for balance.

Paying more than 30% of our incomes on housing forces us to maintain a nearly impossible balance by making hard decisions about food, transportation, and health. We are paying more than half of our income on housing, which is leading us to be severely cost-burdened.

I have lived in Stratford for over 20 years and now have a family I would like to raise in the community. Housing prices have increased, and we are a young family unable to obtain a mortgage and the rents are going up too much. We also must pay our water and sewer in our rental.
There should be a minihome park put in the area and easier access to mortgages. Nobody needs granite counters and high end finishes…. we just want basic affordable housing to raise our children in.

My family and I love living in Stratford. We are lucky to be able to afford to live here, but I have noticed that the rent and housing prices in Stratford are some of the highest on the Island, and this concerns our family greatly.

I want to reiterate that it is absolutely critical that we develop housing for our lowest income residents in Stratford, which would include those on social assistance and/or who are receiving disability benefits and are unable to work. Please do not forget them in your plans. We need our community to be fully inclusive for ALL — not just those who are low to medium or high income. We cannot make Stratford a “community for the rich” only. We need safe, stable and secure housing for ALL, today.

Please ensure you centre our most vulnerable residents in your day to day decision-making, as the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable.

I would love to see Stratford create a specific committee dedicated just to this, made up of persons with lived experience.

I support the development of affordable, mixed living option housing opportunities in Stratford made with sound judgement, while planning for the future and environmental impacts. Thank you for conducting this survey.

We need more housing of all types but especially low income and low-medium income as well.

Stratford needs more independent small dwellings like 1-2 bedroom apartments , townhouses, apartment buildings at a reasonable prices

It is great that there are plans to build high-rise apartment buildings that can accommodate a higher density which allows for more services (public transit, schools, etc.) to utilized effectively.

Definitely think Stratford needs more apartments. They don’t need to be fancy with marble counters. Just an average 2-bedroom apartment, without any special bells and whistles rising the cost.

Stratford needs more diverse housing options. These should include affordable apartments/townhomes for families as well as smaller units for singles and seniors. Stratford should not be afraid to increase density to achieve this, and should encourage developments aimed at different income levels, not just luxury/high-end. A diverse community benefits everyone.

Stratford should look to other urban centres like Toronto where they have successfully used mixed different housing density in the same neighborhood and made it work. Good planning can make the majority of residents happy.