emailRegional Housing Affordability Strategy
The Regional Housing Affordability Strategy (RHAS) was prepared as a component of the Regional Growth Strategy through a partnership agreement between the CRD, the Capital Region Hospital Board, the Capital Health Region (now VIHA), the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC), BC Housing Management Commission, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Current Status
On March 07, 2007, the Capital Regional District Board approved the final version of the Regional Housing Affordability Strategy (RHAS). Since the process began, the RHAS has received considerable review, feedback, and revision. The final version of the RHAS responds to feedback obtained through consultation with municipalities and the funding partnership organizations with further comments received through the November 2006 Council-of-Councils Forum on Housing Affordability.
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Background
The purpose of the RHAS project, initiated by the CRD Board on October 24, 2001, is “…to develop a practical and effective Regional Housing Affordability Strategy for the Capital Region, to ensure that all residents of the Capital Region, especially moderate and low income households, have a reasonable choice of housing by type, tenure, price/rent and location, over both the short and long term.”
The strategy has as its vision “that all residents of the Capital Region have safe, adequate housing they can afford”, and identifies three goals that must be met to achieve the vision:
- to increase the supply of more-affordable housing in the region;
- to reduce the number of people in core housing need, especially low income renters; and,
- to reduce the number of homeless people and support the transition out of homelessness.
To achieve these goals, five strategies, each with supporting actions, provide a framework for regional and municipal governments, in conjunction with the non-profit and the development industry, to take action to improve housing affordability throughout the region.
- Secure more funding for non-market and low end of market housing;
- Establish and enhance pro-affordability local government policies and regulations across the region;
- Facilitate community-based affordability partnerships and initiatives;
- Build neighbourhood level support for housing affordability; and,
- Expand the scope of the Victoria homelessness community plan to the region as a whole.
Incidence of Homelessness
The strategy on homelessness is a new initiative, not included in the final consultants report on the proposed housing affordability strategy reviewed by the Board in August 2004. Since that time, homelessness has emerged as a more significant regional issue, and was the subject of a recent conference held in Victoria on the Social Determinants of Health.
For more information on the link between health status, poverty, and social conditions including homelessness, please refer to the May 2006 report of the Chief Medical Health Officer: