Effort to tackle affordable housing, poverty gears up in Central Okanagan

As local governments become more involved in providing affordable housing in the Central Okanagan, a task force is being recommended to coordinate those efforts.

That’s the first of 16 draft recommendations going to the Regional District of Central Okanagan’s board tonight, May 30.

“Shifting federal and provincial government roles have continued to place considerable pressure on local government to become more active in providing and facilitating affordable housing development,” the report says. “Despite the development of specific policies, zoning regulations and financial incentives at individual local levels, there is a need for a coordinated regional approach.”

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Part of that approach will be to identify potential sites for affordable housing and to look into the feasibility of creating a regional housing service or a trust fund to help to buy land and build housing.

The strategy includes increased lobbying of senior governments, finding funding sources for affordable housing and creating a data base for all affordable housing activities and information in the region.

“Taking this regional perspective will ensure that individual communities are working in unison to improve the range of housing opportunities to meet the social and economic needs of the region,” the report says. “The strategy is intended to establish a shared commitment, pool resources for more impact, gain momentum for collective action and advocacy, and promote the advancement of partnerships.”

The strategy follows a regional housing needs assessment completed in 2019 and consultation with the public and stakeholders this past winter.

The recommendations will go to local governments in June and a symposium on June 8 with the final report going back to the regional district board on June 27.

The report is available online here. Public comments will be taken up until June 10.

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At the same board meeting, directors will also be presented with a Central Okanagan Poverty and Wellness Strategy.

It stems from the work of a regional poverty reduction committee that was created in 2017 and was funded by a $149,000 provincial grant.

A key recommendation of the strategy is to create a “backbone” organization to tackle poverty issues. This would work with existing organizations or creating new working groups.

It would look for funding sources for, as yet, unspecified programs.

The Central Okanagan Poverty and Wellness Strategy can be viewed here.

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