Islanders with disabilities concerned about lack of suitable housing on P.E.I.

An advocacy group for Islanders with mobility issues says there's an urgent need for suitable housing on P.E.I.

The P.E.I. Council of People with Disabilities has a waiting list of more than 100 individuals who have been looking foraffordable and fully accessible rental units, but have come up empty.

"There's a definite shortage," said council member Devon Broome. "Almost every day we can count on a phone call from a citizen somewhere on the Island looking for accessible housing, expressing their concerns with the search that they have already gone through and just the lack of what they're coming up with."

In many cases, Broomesaid, clients are able to find housing that has an accessible entrance, but it doesn't have all the individual features they need to adequately function within their home.

"It may not have the bathroom for the person to be able to independently shower or go to the bathroom, it doesn't have a kitchen setup with cupboards and counter heights that an individual using a motorized chair or a manual chair can even get up to and operate the sink or controls on their stove and fridges and that sorts of things," Broomeexplained.

There's a lot more to it than just being able to gain entry into a home, you need to be able to function within your home as well.- Devon Broome

"So there's a lot more to it than just being able to gain entry into a home, you need to be able to function within your home as well."

Broomesaid each individual on the waiting list has uniqueneeds. Her 21-year-old daughter, who hasSpina bifida, has been looking for a wheel-chair accessible unit.

"She wants to be able to go to work, volunteer, to go to school," Broomesaid.

"By not having the housing she's not able to continue on in those chapters in her life."

New construction requirements

The cities of Summersideand Charlottetown requirethat for all new apartment construction, one of out of every 12 units be accessible. In apartment buildings with 36 or more units, the ratio is one in every 18 units in Charlottetown.

Broome saidthe P.E.I. Council of People with Disabilities keeps close track of any units that becomes available, and will continueto lobby communities, developers and government to showthere is a need for more affordable housing with accessibility features.

"It's something we keep pushing for and we keep expressing to anyone that will listen that the need is there and that we support it."

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |'A moving tribute': Church concert honours Canada's war veterans
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Summerside residents petition for new dog park