FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2018
Civic Election Candidates Across BC are Being Asked to “Make Housing Central”
Vancouver, BC (September 28) – Housing Central launched its Make Housing Central campaign today, providing information to civic candidates and the public on the role that cities can play in supporting affordable housing and the community housing sector.
“As we head into municipal elections where housing affordability is the number one issue on both candidates’ and voters’ minds, we felt it was important to ensure that all candidates were aware of what housing looks like in their communities, and what the local government role is in addressing the issues of housing and affordability,” said Jill Atkey, CEO of BC Non-Profit Housing Association.
The campaign includes a customized election guide for every municipality in the province, sharing the economic and social benefits of affordable housing, and highlighting census data related to housing and affordability in individual communities.
“We want to do everything we can to ensure that voters and elected officials understand the important role municipalities can play in developing and preserving safe, secure and affordable homes for everyone,” said Thom Armstrong, Executive Director of Co-op Housing Federation of BC.
Housing Central also launched a Municipal Toolkit, providing information on the tools that local governments can use in supporting co-op, non-profit, and affordable rental housing in their community.
The campaign asks candidates to show their support for affordable housing by pledging to Make Housing Central. Their pledges will be publicly hosted on the www.housingcentral.ca website and shared on social media by using #MakeHousingCentral2018. The pledge asks candidates to commit to using local governments’ ability to zone and contribute land, develop strong policy, streamline permitting processes and pursue partnerships – actions that will result in the development of new affordable housing.
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For more information, visit www.housingcentral.ca
For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Dean Pogas
604.363.6590
dean@housingcentral.ca
Connect on social media with the hashtag #MakeHousingCentral
About Housing Central:
Housing Central brings together the BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA), Co-op Housing Federation of BC (CHF BC) Co-op Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada), Encasa Financial, Community Land Trust and COHO Management Services Society. Housing Central collaborates on cross-sector partnerships that help impact public, policy, media awareness and deliver world-class education and events to support its vision of a safe, affordable home for everyone. www.housingcentral.ca
About BCNPHA: Formed 25 years ago, BCNPHA is the industry association for the social housing sector in BC. It represents, educates and provides service to more than 700 non‐profit housing providers that operate more than 60,000 units of long- and short‐term affordable housing across the province.
About CHF BC: CHF BC is a co‐operative association made up of member housing co‐ops and related organizations in BC. The association represents 264 co‐op communities (comprising more than 14,500 households) across the province.