Across B.C., general elections are held every three years for mayors, councillors, regional district directors, and school board trustees. There are many simple things your municipality can do to support the development and preservation of affordable and non-profit housing in your community. In preparation for the upcoming municipal elections on Saturday, November 15th, BCNPHA has put together this toolkit to help you put affordable and non-profit housing on the local agenda. It contains:

1) Housing fact sheets
Housing fact sheets (MS Word document)

2) A list of questions you can ask your local candidates
A list of questions you can ask your local candidates (MS Word document)

On Wednesday, October 29th, the Bowen Island Municipality’s Affordable Housing Working Group presented the a preview of the new waitlist for the purchase affordable ownership housing units. The meeting included opportunities to ask members of the questions and learn details regarding the soon-to-be struck Municipal Housing Corporation.

Here is the waitlist meeting brochure (PDF) which outlines the event and the process so far.

A National Emergency

In 2006, the United Nations declared housing and homelessness in Canada a national emergency. Four million Canadians live in housing that is overcrowded, unhealthy, or unaffordable. These struggling households live in what the federal government calls ‘core need’, and must regularly choose between buying food and paying for shelter. The critical undersupply of affordable housing is a major contributor to the homelessness crisis, and must be addressed as part of a national commitment to end homelessness.

What do we mean by Affordable Housing?

The national definition used by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for ‘affordable housing’ is shelter (including rent or mortgage, property taxes and utilities) for which you pay no more than 30% of your gross income. The number of renters compared to homeowners is increasing throughout the province. However, rising land, materials and construction costs mean that the private sector has virtually stopped building affordable rental apartments. Canada’s rental vacancy rate has been below 3% for the past eight years, and since 2001, nearly half of all the country’s renters have spent 30% or more of their income on rent (Statistics Canada, 2008).

Why do we need more Affordable Housing?

Affordable housing is a lasting investment that benefits the whole community. Non-profit housing societies offer a valuable service to communities by providing options to those unable to access or afford housing on the private market. Enabling local non-profits to build housing creates a permanent stock of high quality, affordable housing where it is most needed. There is a proven link between health and housing, and by providing safe, stable places to live, non-profits also improve the health of the people they serve.

Why is Affordable Housing important to your community?

•     People who live in affordable housing remain healthier, resulting in cost savings in health and social support services.

•     Affordable housing helps create disposable income, which enables families to better participate in community life.

•     Affordable housing helps seniors and people with disabilities maintain their independence.

Source: BC Non-Profit Housing Association

Several Bowen residents meet to discuss their views on affordable housing on Bowen Island in this four-part series from Bowen TV.

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In this video from Bowen TV, two Bowen residents discuss affordable housing creation. Municipal Councilor Peter Frinton and developer Wolfgang Duntz.
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by Jacqueline Massey, Bowen Island Municipality

Following a careful review of how it works elsewhere and fine-tuning to make it fit just right for Bowen, the municipality has designed Ownership Unit Guidelines. These procedures outline the qualifications and waitlist process to identify eligibility and register those seeking to purchase affordable housing on Bowen. Tim Wake, working closely with the Affordable Housing Working Group, presented the Ownership Unit Guidelines to Council in September.

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by Jacqueline Massey, Bowen Island Municipality

On behalf of the Bowen Community Housing Association (BCHA), in the fall of 2007, Eberle Planning and Research drafted Diverse Housing for a Diverse Community, a strategy for affordable housing on Bowen. The document was based on analysis of the comprehensive, professional Bowen Housing Needs Assessment, completed the spring of the same year, also thanks to the efforts of the BCHA. Read the rest of this entry »

by Jacqueline Massey, Bowen Island Municipality

The newly-minted Affordable Housing Policy of the Bowen Island Municipality is a made-on-Bowen approach to begin addressing the housing crisis. Tim Wake, an affordable housing consultant, crafted the document with direction and input from the Affordable Housing Working Group (AHWG), a committee the municipality struck one year ago. Council adopted the policy in June. Read the rest of this entry »

by Jacqueline Massey, Bowen Island Municipality

Many share a vision for Bowen that includes a socially and economically diverse community supported by the provision of diverse and affordable housing. But what is affordable housing exactly?
How one community defines this may be quite different from another. In many jurisdictions, affordable housing is described as housing, whether rented or owned, that does not exceed 30% of a household’s income. Read the rest of this entry »

by Jacqueline Massey, Bowen Island Municipality

It feels like a blow every time we hear that members of our community are leaving, forced out by the high cost of living. The lack of affordable housing on Bowen is an issue that has taken its toll and continues to threaten the economic and social stability of the island. That is why the municipally-appointed Affordable Housing Working Group (AHWG) is moving quickly to address the issue. Read the rest of this entry »