Last week, both the Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Foundation’s Vital Signs Survey identified homelessness and housing as top priorities. When business and community come together and identify a common priority, we need to take action.
Risk of Homelessness Increasing
Since 2008 when the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness was founded, we’ve made some progress in the City and the region. Yet according to a recent study on Patterns of Homelessness in Greater Victoria between 2010-2014, more people sought temporary shelter in 2014 than in 2010. And shelter capacity went from 86% in 2010 to 112% in 2014. (See Figures 1 and 2 below.) We’ve still got a lot of work to do.
The most striking finding of the study is that the vast majority of people who used shelters between 2010 and 2014 are not chronically or episodically homeless. In the four-year study period, 655 people stayed in shelters experienced ‘episodic’ and ‘chronic’ homelessness (see Figures 4 and 5 below). Just over 3600 people experienced temporary homelessness. They just need an affordable place to live.
The report concludes, “The sheer number of individuals who resorted to accessing emergency shelter indicates a lack of homelessness prevention services and emphasizes the need to address low income and affordable housing issues in Greater Victoria to prevent homelessness.”
Innovative Pilot Project
Today, I announced a plan for a pilot project that would work with willing private sector landlords to designate 10% of rental units in 10 buildings as supportive and affordable housing units for 10 years.
The pilot project would see Victoria City Hall work with willing building owners to immediately address the urgent need for supportive and affordable housing in the City of Victoria. In exchange for designating 10% of units in their building as affordable and supportive housing for 10 years, property owners would receive a property tax exemption that would offset their lost revenue and leave a bit of money in their pockets at the end of the day as an incentive to participate in the program. There are a few private sector landlords who rent units at an affordable rate through various existing programs. The proposed pilot project would provide an incentive.
Half of the units would be designated as affordable housing to help address homelessness further “upstream”. With cost of living on the rise, the need for affordable housing is growing every year. If the pilot project proves successful, City Hall would pursue opportunities for expansion.
Moving Victoria Forward
In order to move Victoria forward and to create opportunities, we first need to make sure that people can afford to call our city home. This project is a result of months of working with stakeholders, and one willing landlord has already expressed interest. Everyone agrees that the growing need for affordable and supportive housing is a top priority so I am eager to champion greater collaborative action.