Now that the phrase "go home and stay home" has become 2020's mantra, the importance of affordable housing in Calgary is greater than ever. After all, what does "stay home" mean for those do not have a home or live in unhealthy conditions?

RESOLVE affordable housing initiative approaches successful conclusion

What do I want, you ask so innocently.
I want a HOME, as many of you have.

These lines come from a poem written by 67-year-old Anne Cartledge. "I use all capital letters when I write the word 'home,' because that's how important it is," she said.

Plagued with severe arthritis and fibromyalgia that left her unable to work, Cartledge first survived on AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) and, now, on her Old Age Security pension.

Though Cartledge describes herself as a "frugal shopper" and "good at the scrounge routine," she also admits, "I am part of the circle that if I didn't have subsidized housing, I'd be living on the street."

Calgary is coming together to win the war on homelessness, one home at a time

What a difference a year can make. The City of Calgary launched its affordable housing strategy in July 2016, aiming for a more unified approach to building more housing for low-income individuals and families. Since then, a lot has happened, according to groups that provide housing for low-income Calgarians.

"What we've seen in the first year is a tremendous drive toward increased collaboration and recognition that none of us can go it alone," said Kim O'Brien, CEO of Horizon Housing Society.

The importance of working together in a more co-ordinated fashion cannot be understated because the challenge of providing affordable housing in Calgary is daunting. It's a problem the City, as well as other Canadian municipalities, have been struggling to address for several years – despite the best of intentions.