Category: Affordability, Housing and Homelessness
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Affordable Housing: Watershed Moment of Community Support
These are my closing comments from the public hearing for Fire Hall #1 and Affordable Housing. Something really remarkable happened at our City Council meeting last week. Or rather, it’s what didn’t happen that is remarkable and it gives me hope for the future of affordable housing developments in our city. Last Thursday we held…
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Election 2019 Candidates Listening Session: Focus on the Future
“Choose forward.” “Not left. Not right. Forward together.” “In it for you.” “It’s time for you to get ahead.” Looking carefully at the slogans of the four main political parties in English Canada, it’s clear that this October’s election is about the future. Thankfully campaigns are about more than slogans. In my experience they’re…
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Victoria is a City that Looks to the Future
This blog post is short. The real meat is in this video. Please watch it! Last Thursday evening, City Council held a public hearing for a 20-unit townhouse development at 1712 and 1720 Fairfield Road. Many people who live in the neighbourhood spoke with Council and shared their perspectives on the project. While more people…
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Ambrose Place: Love and Decolonizing Housing, Health and Wellness
I had an incredible experience earlier this week that I’m really excited to share. I was in a situation where I was expecting one thing and something completely different happened. In the space between expectation and experience, there was inspiration, love and great deal of learning. I was invited by Fran Hunt-Jinnochi, Executive Director of…
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Affordable Housing: The Missing Middle
Housing is only part of the story. We also need to consider how the built form of the city supports community well-being and economic vitality. I recently received a good, old-fashioned, hand-written letter from a resident suggesting that I write an editorial focused on the City’s current housing initiatives. It’s a welcome suggestion, and, in…
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Elderly Artist Couple, One With MS, Lose Affordable Housing After 38 Years
Gonzales Bay Revisited Original painting by Barbara Weaver-Bosson. Copyright 1995 to 2019. All rights reserved. City Council is in the process of developing the City’s 2019 budget. This year we’re putting $1 million into our Affordable Housing Trust Fund, up from $250,000 in previous years. And we’re hiring new housing planners. And we’ve asked staff…
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300 New Affordable Childcare Spaces Coming to Victoria
Today, the Helps Campaign is announcing the creation of at least 300 new affordable childcare spaces in neighbourhoods across Victoria. Working with non-profit childcare providers, School District 61, and Island Health, a funding application has been submitted to the Province to fund the creation of new childcare spaces in Victoria starting in 2019. This announcement…
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Two Key Platform Commitments
Since January Lisa’s been working with a diversity of community members to develop a detailed, future-focussed, community-based, four-year plan. Today, we’re releasing the first two of many platform commitments that will help to make Victoria safe, affordable, and prosperous. Two Key Platform Commitments Working with the community and Council, Mayor Helps will: Lower the default…
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What is affordable housing in Victoria?
Pacifica Housing’s Wilson’s Walk mixed income housing in Victoria West. Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges in Victoria. We hear regularly from the business community that attracting workers is a challenge because of the housing shortage. We hear from people living in units that are being redeveloped, worried about not being able to…
