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Earlier this week, Burnaby City Council took an ambitious step in approving an ambitious 10-year housing strategy that addresses everything from housing affordability and housing stock to those without homes altogether.

The City of Coquitlam is currently undertaking a Housing Needs Assessment. This will be presented to Coquitlam council in the Spring. City staff ask Coquitlam residents to consider filling in the Housing Needs Report Survey at letstalkcoquitlam.ca/housingneeds by October 15th. They are seeking a diversity of voices. Here’s the message from Genevieve Bucher (Director, Community Planning, City of … Continued

July 2021 was an important month for housing co-ops in BC, and especially in Vancouver. After years of work (and lobbying) on the part of co-op members, CHF BC staff, and City of Vancouver staff, Vancouver’s City Council unanimously approved a new framework for lease renewals. The work of actually renewing those leases is starting … Continued

CHF BC can now confirm that Vancouver City Council plans to hear a report from staff on housing co-op lease renewals on July 7. The staff report will be released to the public on June 30, 2021.

We will be holding two town halls for members to prepare for the Council meeting.

Some last-minute considerations have emerged that will push the Council report on co-op leases to July 6 or 7.  As a result, the public release of the Council report will not happen any earlier than June 29.

CHF BC is therefore postponing the June 17 town hall to a date later in June or early in July.  The date will be announced at the earliest opportunity, as soon as we receive word on the final schedule.  We will share more information with you as it becomes available.

If you want to preserve your right to appeal your property assessment, the deadline is February 1. If you plan to dispute your assessment, you should contact BC Assessment before the end of the month. COVID drives more of the process online.

This is just a brief update for those interested in the City of Vancouver leasehold conversation.

City staff had intended to bring forward a report to Council in December 2020. That report will be delayed to the Council meeting scheduled for February 10, 2021.

CHF BC will work closely with members between now and then to get the best possible outcome.

If you’re a non-profit housing co-op with ambitions to reduce your energy consumption by 25% or more, you may be eligible for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund.

FCM has about $300 million to disburse over the next six years under its Sustainable Affordable Housing program. That works out to $52 million annually, in a mix of loans (usually 10- or 20-year terms) and grants. These funds are general stackable with other programs like CMHC’s Co-investment Fund.

The City of Vancouver is launching a new program to help increase the number of non-profit and co-op homes in the municipality.

Using moneys from the Empty Homes Tax and the City’s own capital budget, the program offers incentives that can be paired with funding from other sources.

Earlier this week, the City of Vancouver released its long awaited co-op Lease discussion paper.  This launches a period of consultation and discussion that is expected to result in a final report to Council by the summer of 2020. The discussion paper: You can download the discussion paper, read more about the City’s process, and … Continued

IMPORTANT: if you want to preserve your right to appeal your property assessment, the deadline is January 31. If there is any chance you will want to dispute your assessment, you should contact BC Assessment before the end of the month. NOTE: AEC Property Tax Consultants is again offering CHF BC members a break (20%) … Continued

The Co-op Housing Federation of BC (CHF BC) and BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA) applaud the Burnaby Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing for its vision of Burnaby as a community with affordable housing for all citizens.