Housing

Housing is essential for healthy and resilient communities. As a result of region-wide consultations in 2014 and 2015, affordable housing was identified as a clear need in the Basin and the Trust established affordable housing as a strategic priority for the next five years.

Housing needs for Basin communities vary by location, size, demographic need and economic means. They include:

• workforce housing in resort and resource communities;
• housing for an aging population;
• housing for individuals and families with low to moderate income;
• housing for Indigenous people; and
• housing for marginalized populations including mental health, disabilities, and other individuals and families needing services.

The following is an illustration of the housing continuum, and forms of housing that exist along the continuum.

This framework outlines the Trust’s mission/vision, objectives, tactics and resources to address housing issues in the Basin from 2018/19 to 2020/21. Overall, the Trust will help to ensure residents have access to housing that meets their needs. The Trust will:

1. Work along the housing continuum to strengthen social and economic well-being in the Basin.
2. Support local and regional efforts to address housing priorities.
3. Support Indigenous housing priorities

There continues to be a high level of demand in the region for affordable housing. Recent provincial and federal government announcements to fund affordable housing projects include:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund: $1.9 billion over 10 years provincially; and
• National Housing Co Investment Fund: $13 billion over 10 years federally.

If Basin communities are successful in accessing this funding, significant new affordable housing units could be created in the Basin in the next 10 years.

A number of tactics outlined in the framework are exploratory and will require further decisions after research and analysis are complete. In addition, the Trust will learn as it tries out new approaches in addressing housing issues. Given this, while this framework is multi-year, the Trust will revisit it at least annually and may develop new tactics.

To implement this framework, the Trust will:

• Focus on attracting funding resources from all levels of government, private sector, and non-profit sector, as appropriate, to increase the impact of the Trust’s funding.
• Help create housing that is affordable for the intended market segment, and that is safe, secure and high quality.
• Recognize that housing priorities and needs may vary by community in the Basin.
• Work in partnership with entities, communities, funders and other organizations with complementary housing objectives.
• Aim to create 150 affordable housing units in the Basin by the end of 2020/21.

Work along the housing continuum to strengthen social and economic well-being in the Basin.

The Trust will focus its efforts toward the middle of the continuum, helping individuals and families in the Basin move to the highest level possible. Outside of Housing Initiatives, other Trust endeavours and initiatives may impact each end of the continuum. For example, Trust Social Initiatives can provide program support to those at risk of homelessness and the Trust Investment Program or Economic Development Initiatives could impact the availability of market housing.

Support local and regional efforts to address housing priorities

The tactics mentioned above, also apply to this objective:

• Provide proposal development support and funding.
• Provide capital grants for the creation of new housing units.

Support Indigenous housing priorities.

The Trust currently provides support through its First Nations Housing Sustainability Initiative (FNHSI) to develop and sustain affordable housing for Indigenous people. The FNHSI is a separate funding commitment and is supporting tactics 1 and 3 below.

In order to address the areas identified in this framework, the Trust is committing a total of $4 million from 2018/19 through to 2020/21.

With an additional $4 million allocation for Housing Initiatives, it is estimated that the Trust – with a combination of commitments of funds from other sources, other equity contributions and debt financing – would be able to create 150 affordable housing units by 2020/21.

At this stage it is not possible to assign specific budgets (either in terms of amounts, or timing) to the objectives identified in this framework.

Project Development Advocate: The Trust will assist entities to advance their Basin housing proposals by: providing proposal development funding; helping them structure their proposals and providing guidance; and, linking them with other funders.

Funding Partner: The Trust will partner with other funders and affordable housing providers to provide capital grants to affordable housing projects in the Basin that attract resources into the Basin and pursue the objectives in this framework.

1. There is high demand in the region for more housing options along the continuum. Housing projects can be costly. The Trust could spend its proposed allocation on one project, and not meet demand throughout the region. It is essential that the Trust set priorities, and partner on projects in order to attract funding and equity contributions as much as possible.
2. Some Basin communities will have more ability – as a result of their size, available resources, and existing housing organizations and engagement on the issue – to initially develop and manage housing projects. The Trust will need to ensure it helps address housing issues in all communities.

National Housing Co-Investment Fund CMHC

BC Housing Hub

Sustainable Affordable Housing

Elk Valley Presentation

Lower Columbia Presentation

Nelson Cares Presentation

Shuswap Indian Band Presentation

Affordable Housing Presentation

BCNPHA Introduction to Capital Planning

Development Road Map

Presentation: Fundamentals of Asset Management

Presentation: Asset Management

Capital Planning Template

CMHC Presentation

BC Housing – New Funding Programs

Workshop Presentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Sample Proposal

Proposal Preparation Tool