Understanding the Housing Crisis with Business Cases

Understanding Use of Land and Rental Market in connection with the University for costing solutions to the housing crisis.

Project Description:

The Fall 2022 SIR focused on the housing crisis, in which student teams looked at the currently unhealthy housing continuum, from transitional housing to market ownership. This project will develop multiple business cases that articulate the evidence-based reasoning and benefits to issues brought forth in the work of the Fall 2022 SIR students. The intended audience for these business cases is Hamilton politicians, as well as community advocates, activists, and organizers, and may be distributed to organizations like the Hamilton Encampment Support Network (HESN), or ACORN Hamilton (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now).

In Scope:

Create business cases with evidence-based research to help inform Hamilton housing stakeholders on potential solutions. In doing so, the group will present a mid-term progress presentation and business case. 

The following areas of focus include:

• The Student Body of McMaster University

• Unaffordable rent

• Effectiveness of Land Usage 

• Tenancy Rights

Background Research:

The group will conduct a thorough review and in-depth analysis of previous reports on the housing crisis provided by previous SIR students as well as all other reports found within the drive. This is found in the CityLAB SIR Fall 2022 Final Report Package. 

Student Team: Asmaa Rakik, Claire Kim, Halle Gibson, Johanna Fernanades, Marisa Chrysanthou, Michelle Lucas

Faculty & Course: Dr. Emily Scherzinger, IBH 4AB6B Social Entrepreneurship Capstone

City Staff: Al Fletcher, Manager, Investment in Affordable Housing/Neighbourhood Development, City Of Hamilton

Project Agreement

C.R.E.A.T.E Team (Creating Renewable, Effective, Accessible, Tenable Economies)

Currently much of the food waste from restaurants and grocery stores end up in landfills. This is an unsustainable way to handle food wastes and contributes to greenhouse gas emission (GHG) when the food breaks down. Re-using or diverting food waste could help reduce GHG emissions while also having the potential to improve food insecurity among vulnerable population in Hamilton.

Project Overview

Develop a business case that details the circular economy of food to be operationalized by restaurant and grocery industries, local farms, and other possible food sources to educate and articulate better methods of reducing and diverting food waste.

In Scope

 The students will develop and business case and recommendations report that includes examples of financial costs of food waste and associated greenhouse gas emissions, as the baseline and then research best practices and business case scenario that creates a more circular economy approach for handling food waste. In order to be successful that student will need to:

• Engage with subject matter experts from the applicable sectors (e.x. farms, grocery stores, restaurants, recycling companies etc.) to inform the business case;

• Conduct research including literature review and evidence of best practices and/or case studies in other jurisdictions; and

• Identify past and present food re-use programs in Hamilton

Background Research

Dr. S has agreed to offer contacts, while Trevor has offered to connect with a staff representative/Community Partner. Dr. S will provide some background food justice research and resources. Students will be required to conduct background research and examples from another part of Canada or internationally.

Student Team: Samantha Bader, Devan Flaming, Madalyn Morrison, Sarah Ord, Shiza Muhammad

Faculty & Course: Emily Scherzinger, PHD, McMaster University, Social Entrepreneurship Capstone - IBH 4AB6

City Staff: Trevor Imhoff, Senior Project Manager and Head of Air Quality & Climate Change at the City Of Hamilton

Project Agreement

Final Report

Emergency Preparedness

Research and local evidence shows that climate change has, and will continue, to unfairly burden vulnerable populations. Emergency preparedness is an essential piece to prepare for and recover from these impacts. However many vulnerable citizens currently do not have the means or knowledge to access or purchase emergency preparedness kits.

Project Overveiw

Evaluate and select programs and items for making emergency preparedness kits accessible to anyone, regardless of income. Are there subsidies or free distribution campaigns?

• Optimization of access and deployment of kits

In Scope

 The students will create a recommendation report to inform how best to increase accessibility of emergency preparedness kits. In order to this student will be required to:

• Engage appropriate subject matter experts to inform what existing work is taking place and identify best practices;

• Research provincial, national and international literature review, best practices, case studies etc.;

• Research and identify alternative sources of funding and distribution methods; and

• Conduct 1:1 or group stakeholder meetings/interviews to determine who/where/what community groups, organizations etc. that are already out there that citizens can go to during climate related emergencies.

Background Research

The students should focus their research on, but not limit it to:

• Existing programs/organizations already delivering emergency preparedness;

• What EDI principles need to be implemented;

• Equity and climate change research, literature review and best practices

Local, provincial, national, international best practices and case studies.

Faculty & Course: Emily Scherzinger, PHD, McMaster University, Social Entrepreneurship Capstone - IBH 4AB6

City Staff: Trevor Imhoff, Senior Project Manager and Head of Air Quality & Climate Change at the City Of Hamilton

Project Agreement

Final Report

Survey Matrix

Climate Change Campaign

The City of Hamilton declared a Climate Change Emergency and has developed a Climate Action Strategy. We need everyone involved in the actions and to start we need everyone aware of the existing and future problems and impacts of climate change.

Project Overview:

This project aims to create a detailed educational campaign strategy which includes up to three campaigns on communicating the risks associated with climate change (e.x., health impacts, property damage and other financial costs, climate justice, etc.).  

In Scope:

At a minimum the Education Campaign Strategy will include up to three campaigns on applicable climes risks (e.x health impacts, property/infrastructure damage, climate justice etc.). The students throughout the project will need to:

• Conduct extensive research and engage appropriate subject matter experts to inform the content;

• Ongoing City-wide efforts to identify synergy and collaboration;

• Best practices and case studies from other Cities;

• Create detailed recommendations for education campaigns including social and other media outlets, in-person activities etc.; and

• Develop approximate budget associated with different recommendations for education campaigns.

 Background Research:

In order to best inform the Education Awareness Strategy the student should conduct research including:

• Best practices and case studies from other cities, governments and organizations on applicable climate risks;

• 1:1 or group stakeholder meetings/interviews from subject matter experts;

• Research on most up-to-date science of climate change and vulnerability/risk assessments completed both locally, regionally and nationally.

Student Team: Leah Albi, Celine Do, Dima Ignjatovic, David Melko, Tristan Smid, Matea Tettmann

Faculty & Course: Emily Scherzinger, PHD, McMaster University, Social Entrepreneurship Capstone - IBH 4AB6

City Staff: Trevor Imhoff, Senior Project Manager and Head of Air Quality & Climate Change at the City Of Hamilton

Project Agreement 

Developing a Data Protection Policy for the City of Hamilton

Building Hamilton's Digital Transformation Infrastructure

Project Description:

A Data Protection Policy (DPP) is a security policy dedicated to standardizing the use, monitoring, and management of data. The main goal of this policy is to protect and secure all data consumed, managed, and stored by the organization. A DPP has been requested to be written for the City of Hamilton.

Currently, the City of Hamilton does not have a DPP. By drafting a DPP, we will demonstrate our city’s commitment to ensuring the protection and privacy of consumer data. For example:

• If the City of Hamilton is subjected to compliance audits, or experiences a data breach, the data protection policy can be presented as an evidence demonstrating the city’s commitment to data protection principles.

• A DPP could help to complement IT policies as well as demonstrate The City of Hamilton’s leadership in the area of Data Protection.

Phase 1: Background Research

• Research other municipalities and/or organizations using Data Protection Policies (DPP).

• Develop a matrix of your findings depicting the subject and the items they have included in their DPP.

• Develop/recommend a list of requirements (i.e. data protection standards and regulations) necessary for a proper Data Protection Policy.

  • Cross reference this list with the requirements for joining the Cities Coalition for Digital Rights to ensure their priorities are captured in the DPP.

  • Review these requirements with the Project Sponsor for approval before moving to write a DPP.

Phase 2: Draft the DPP

• Develop a draft City of Hamilton Data Protection Policy (DPP) as a starting point for discussion and consultations within the City of Hamilton

• The Background Research and Draft DPP will be submitted to PUBPOL 701 as the final research assignment in lieu of the “Case Analysis and Policy Brief.”

Phase 3: Integrate Project Feedback

• Integrate feedback from City partners faculty

Deliverables: Data Protection Policy, background research report

Where the work will go and what it will be used for:

A well written Data Protection Policy (DPP) can help the City of Hamilton comply with data protection standards and regulations. The City of Hamilton plays an important role in development of proactive and holistic policies to ensure that technology is used to increase both freedom and security and that the benefits of digital technology are experienced by all. The Cities Coalition for Digital Rights supports just that and promotes and defends digital rights of citizens, residents and visitors in cities and urban environments to ensure fair, inclusive, accessible and affordable non-discriminatory digital environments. The DPP is one of the requirements to join The Cities Coalition for Digital Rights.

City staff: Kelly Austen, Senior Project Manager, Digital Innovation Office

Faculty & Course: Dr. Adrienne Davidson, McMaster University, PUBPOL 701 (Public Policy Foundations I: Legislative, Regulatory and Judicial Dynamics)

Students: John Halligan and Sanchita Rajvanshi

Project Agreement

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The Dundas of Tomorrow

How can we engage a more diverse and representative sample of the community in the creation of the historical context statements while being mindful of the restrictions and barriers with COVID-19 and beyond?

Project Description:

Hamilton is a city of communities (Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook, Hamilton, and Stoney Creek). The Built Heritage Inventory Strategy involves the study of historic neighbourhoods, settlement areas, and communities across the City, and the identification of buildings that embody what makes those places special. This work involves historical research, property surveying, architectural evaluation, and community engagement. The City of Hamilton’s Tourism and Culture Division is looking for assistance in its proactive heritage inventory and evaluation work to help document and conserve Hamilton’s historic buildings

Challenge Summary:

The current challenge with community engagement in the creation of the historical context statements is that they do not seem to be representative of everyone in the community. Only people who are highly interested in the built heritage of their communities seem to come out and share their perspectives in public engagement events. How can we engage a more diverse and representative sample of the community while being mindful of the restrictions and barriers with COVID-19 and beyond?

Goals:

Interview and collaborate with CityLAB SIR alum, current CityLAB Hamilton Students, OPIRG, City of Hamilton staff, other McMaster Faculty, Vancouver CityStudio, and the Student Mentorship Initiative Fellowship to develop a framework and network of support that future independent projects can utilize.

Where the work will go and what it will be used for:

This work will be used by the City of Hamilton in the engagement of Dundas residents in the development of a Historic Context Statement for the area as part of the Downtown Dundas Built Heritage Inventory project.

Faculty, Course & Students: Shahad Al-Saqqar & Jen Pearson, McMaster University, Course: HTHSCI 4D06, 4D09, 4D12

City Staff: Alissa Golden, Heritage Project Specialist, City of Hamilton

Project Agreement

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CHALLENGE BY WATCHING OUR MATCHMAKER SESSION WITH ALISSA GOLDEN

Informing Early Years System Expansion

How might we organize the volume of quality documents that contain data during the pandemic years 2020 and 2021 into a digital format for analysis and identify the units of analysis based on the seminal resources associated with ELCC quality (e.g., HDLH) to provide evidence to inform planning and decision-making for Canada-Wide ELCC?

Context:

Hamilton’s Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) is historically shifting to a universal service model. Canada-wide ELCC is anticipated to result in service system expansion related to affordable child care for eligible children. Increases in service operators and demands for service from families with children 0-6 years of age is expected. The Hamilton ELCC Quality Program supports operators who have funding agreements with the City. The Quality Program was maintained throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with primary data collection that requires analysis to inform the future. Evidence-informed planning and decision-making to support managing and maintaining continuity in Hamilton’s high-quality ELCC service delivery is a priority over the next year.

Problem:

Determine how Hamilton’s past quality priorities will inform priorities in the future with expected service expansion and service demands. A repository of data from 2020 and 2021 requires additional support to expand the City’s capacity with managing and analysing the volume of data that was collected during the pandemic.

Objectives:

1. Organize documents into a digital data format

2. Determine units of analysis based on seminal resources

3. Analyse the data including reliability/validation controls

4. Generate data output

5. Present key findings

6. Generate a report

Student Team: Daniel Buckler, Andrew Davies, Kevin Estriga, Josh Hidalgo, Joanne Kim, Hayley Koens, Eric Meandro, Cassandra Roque, Hrithik Sharma, Ryan Van Hoesel and Dania Wood

Faculty & Course: Emily Scherzinger, PHD, McMaster University, Social Entrepreneurship Capstone - IBH 4AB6

City Staff: Marion Trent-Kratz, Early Years Senior Research Advisor, Healthy and Safe Communities

Project Agreement

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CHALLENGE BY WATCHING OUR MATCHMAKER SESSION