Resident monitoring of housing conditions, a pilot study on Langside street, Winnipeg

Abstract

This practicum report discusses the theory and methodology supporting three proposed instruments: (a) A Housing Condition Survey, (b) The Interviewer's Handbook and, (c) The Template or relational database. These proposed instruments are expected to be used by the West Broadway Housing Coalition, in the Revitalization$\sp1$ process taking place in the West Broadway Neighbourhood. This practicum report examines the theory and methodology supporting the design of the described instruments. These proposed planning tools are to be used by the Winnipeg Housing Coalition at the West-Broadway Housing Resource Centre, to measure physical dwelling condition and to examine the presence of adequate, affordable and suitable housing, in the context of an inner-city neighbourhood. This report also presents the following elements: (a) Provides a literature review of some of the most relevant works on the topic of Housing Condition Assessment (b) Presents an overview of the techniques and methods used in connection with housing assessment. (c) Provides a description of the Housing Condition Survey, The Interviewer's Handbook and The Template or Relational Database. (d) Describes the designed instruments, discusses their merits, and reflects on their perceived limitations. (e) Discusses preliminary test findings nd advances a critical proposal outlining suggested adjustments to the instruments for its use on the entire neighborhood. ftn$\sp1$Neighbourhood revitalization is a broader term encompassing both upgrading and gentrification. The former refers to physical improvement with the existing population remaining in place. The latter applies to community improvements resulting form the replacement of a working-or-lower-class population by the middle class (Varadi, 1986:290). The process of revitalization undergoing the West Broadway neighbourhood falls in the parameters set by the former idea of upgrading with the population remaining in place.