SafeSpace

Enter SafeSpace: a community to help BIPOC individuals find affordable housing, learn their rights, and identify and overcome discrimination. SafeSpace bridges the gap between renters and landlords.

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Inspiration

BIPOC individuals may experience discrimination from landlords and property managers, or they may face higher levels of poverty and financial insecurity that make finding affordable housing more difficult. Additionally, there may be a lack of accessible resources and information available to renters, particularly those who are not familiar with the legal and administrative processes involved in renting a home. SafeSpace aims to address these issues by providing a supportive community and accessible information for BIPOC renters.

What it does

Our app is designed to help BIPOC find safe rental spaces and understand their legal rights as tenants. With the app, users can search for rental properties that have been vetted for safety by our team. The app also provides information on fair housing laws and other legal protections for tenants. Users can learn about their rights as renters and get advice on how to deal with difficult landlords or housing discrimination. The app is user-friendly and easy to navigate, with features such as personalized profiles, saved searches, and real-time notifications for new rental listings or legal updates. Our goal is to empower BIPOC renters with the knowledge and resources they need to find a safe and secure home.

How we built it

We applied UX and UI design principles to develop a low-fidelity wireframe of our app's layout and functionality. Using Figma’s design platform, we transformed the wireframe into a high-fidelity prototype with an interactive user interface that is demo-ready.

Challenges we ran into

A few challenges we ran into was seeking credible resources as a data source to validate the information we are displaying on our prototype application. Furthermore, finding trustworthy organizations to partner up with that align their interests with ours was a challenge we overcame as we discovered that the judge panellists represent and work with organizations such as Black Founders Network, and Project Impacting Lives.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We created a prototype for an app that will take leaps and bounds in addressing racial inequity that currently plagues the rental market. By acting now and removing systemic barriers, we can work with Black individuals to ensure they are on a more equitable footing with other Canadians. We need leadership to drive a collective effort across Canadian society. Overall, creating the app to address racial inequity in the rental market was a rewarding and impactful experience for both us and the community we sought to serve.

What we learned

We extensively learned the legal safeguards in place for BIPOC people, and resources, amongst other things. As well, we discovered limitations, such as the costly and lengthy process of submitting a claim through a tribunal and the predominance of grassroots groups to solve rental problems. While these grassroots efforts do great work, the lack of legal help from the government is disheartening.

Developing an app to address racial inequity in the rental market provided us with a valuable learning experience. Through the process, we gained a deeper understanding of the complexities of racial discrimination in housing and the challenges of creating an effective solution. It also provided me with insights into the needs and perspectives of marginalized communities and the importance of centering their voices in the development process. Additionally, developing the app helped me to develop technical skills and gain experience in project management, marketing, and user feedback analysis. Overall, creating the app to address racial inequity in the rental market was a rewarding and impactful experience for both us and the community we sought to serve.

What's next for SafeSpace

What’s next for SafeSpace - partnering with grassroots black organizations to spread awareness by tapping into the BIPOC audience they have access to. Set up ambassadors in other major cities across Canada (such as Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary) to expand the app into other regions.

Inclusive Homes, Empowered Renters

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