Richmond Needs to Think Bigger With It's Own Housing Authority

Letters: Richmond mayor commits to helping residents without homes, Sep.9th, 2024

Once again Richmond is shut out by politics at senior levels of government, leaving many residents in need of housing, also shut out on the street. 

Take a moment to think about the impacts of this. Homelessness has a wide range of negative effects on individuals, families, and communities. Homeless people often have difficulty accessing health care, education, and employment opportunities. They are also more likely to experience violence, abuse, and poverty along with negative impacts on the physical and mental health of individuals. Why are hospitals overloaded? This is certainly one of the reasons. 

Many of these are people are just like me and you, who at critical points in their lives face difficult challenges and need our community compassion with a "hand up" to get back on track. Housing is a critical factor. 

It's wonderful to hear Mayor Brodie's support for the recently cancelled supportive housing project at Cambie and Sexsmith. As he highlights, "the city’s role in this project is solely to rezone the city-owned site. The actual supportive housing is a provincial government project with capital and operations funded through BC Housing" and therein lies the problem. Richmond is choosing not to take a leadership role but instead giving up. We are in a housing crisis and this requires municipal governments to think differently! Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver all have housing authorities. It's time to move past the constraints of BC Housing and other levels of government to get the housing Richmond needs. Burnaby is actively setting up the Burnaby Housing Authority, why not Richmond?

Richmond already has experience with other legal corporations in it's portfolio for very similar reasons. Those are the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation, and Lulu Island Energy Company, both of who's single shareholder is the City of Richmond. This allows the City to take a more active role in the administration and financial management of these entities while providing more active leadership in the strategic direction and purpose these serve in our city.

As housing affordability continues to be a pressing concern across Canada, more local cities are exploring the creation of their own housing authorities. By managing housing development locally, cities can tailor solutions to the needs of their residents. A city-run housing authority can play a pivotal role in creating secure, purpose-built housing, including non-market rental units, non-market ownership units, and market rental units. 

Benefits of having a Richmond Housing Authority could include:

1. Targeted Solutions for Local Needs: local housing authorities are better positioned to assess and address specific community needs, working and coordinating the community groups. For example, non-market rental units can be developed to cater to low-income residents, ensuring affordabiRevelity in areas where the private sector may not deliver.

1. Increased Supply of Affordable Housing: local housing authorities can prioritize building non-market rental and ownership units, which provide stable, affordable housing options to residents. These models help those who might be priced out of the conventional market while also supporting long-term housing security.

1. Revenue Generation from Market Rentals: market rental units can create a sustainable revenue stream for the city. These funds can then be reinvested into affordable housing projects or used to maintain existing infrastructure, creating a balanced approach between affordability and financial viability.

1. Long-Term Stability: with a focus on purpose-built, secure housing, local authorities ensure that properties remain affordable over the long term. Non-market ownership units, in particular, can help residents build equity while maintaining affordable rates, preventing displacement due to market fluctuations.

The Richmond Housing Authority, I'm proposing could also play an important coordination role with innovative building developers to ensure the broad scope of housing needs in Richmond continues to prepare our city for the future. 

It's time to think outside the box. It's time to think bigger on housing in Richmond.