Research Papers

In 2017, Metro Vancouver, alongside strategic partners BC Non-Profit Housing Association, BC Housing, TransLink, and Vancity Credit Union, completed a five-part study to expand the region’s understanding of the constraints and opportunities related to building new rental housing in transit-oriented locations, particularly for households earning less than $50,000 annually.

BC Non-Profit Housing Association, with funding from Metro Vancouver and the Real Estate Foundation of BC, prepared Activity 1 of the report, which provides an understanding of the supply and demand shortfall in the region over the next 10 years, as well as an environmental scan and literature review of current and innovative practices that have been used to promote affordable rental housing in transit-oriented locations in regions across North America. The study helps to broaden the understanding of what tools and approaches may be worth exploring to address the current and projected affordable rental housing supply gap. Download the condensed fact sheets on tools available to local and senior levels of government by clicking below.

A link to the full Metro Vancouver study can be found here.

BCNPHA and BC Housing have partnered to examine the expiry of operating agreements, and to develop strategies to sustain the affordable housing stock and the non-profit sector. Through a joint work plan, BCNPHA and BC Housing are assessing the level of awareness and preparedness for operating agreement expiry among non-profit societies and identifying challenges, opportunities and strategies in planning for expiry. This status update reports on Phase I of the three phase work plan. This status update reports on Phase II of the work plan.

BCNPHA, in partnership with M’akola Group of Societies, has released a new evaluation framework, Does Affordable Aboriginal Housing Have a Beneficial Impact?,  to determine the impact of affordable Aboriginal housing on social, cultural, economic, and health indicators among tenants. Although the framework was developed to evaluate the non-housing outcomes of the M’akola housing program, it’s broadly applicable to measuring the outcomes of Aboriginal affordable housing.

BCNPHA and Metro Vancouver partnered in 2011 to conduct research assessing the impact of food programs at several Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation sites. The research determined the impact of food programs on the lives of tenants in three areas: food security, health and well being. The report also identifies barriers to food program use, and identified ways of improving food programs and policy directions.

This article, published in a special issue of the journal Women’s Health and Urban Life, explores the interrelationships among women’s health, experiences of violence, and access to housing. It draws on the findings from a feminist participatory action, the Photovoice research project, that identified barriers to housing for women leaving violent relationships.

This brief report is the result of an analysis of staffing issues in BC’s non-profit housing sector. It uses data from the Asset Analysis project on staff numbers, employment periods, succession planning, and training.

This report (available upon request), based on research conducted for the project entitled “Shedding Light on the Barriers to Housing for Women Leaving Violent Relationships: A Photovoice Exploration”, provides new findings that clearly illustrate the housing crisis faced by women leaving violent relationships across BC.

The findings presented in this report are based on data collected through the BC Non-Profit Housing Association’s (BCNPHA) Asset Analysis project between January 2008 and April 2010 for the 407 non-profit housing societies across the province that offer affordable, non-market housing options for seniors in British Columbia.

The findings presented in this report are based on data collected through the BC Non-Profit Housing Association’s (BCNPHA) Asset Analysis project between January 2008 and May 2009 for the 113 non-profit housing societies across the province that offer affordable, non-profit housing options for low-income families in British Columbia.

This report analyzes data from the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association’s (BCNPHA) Asset Analysis project and seeks to answer the question: What is the financial state of BC’s non-profit housing sector and what does the current situation imply in terms of the opportunities and challenges that will emerge for the sector as operating agreements expire?

This report (available upon request) explores the potential for redevelopment at higher densities among BC’s non-profit housing sites, using data from BCNPHA’s Asset Analysis project.

This report uncovers the housing gaps and barriers to affordable housing for people with developmental disabilities and explores creative solutions to address these housing challenges.

The data in this report was collected for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon as part of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association’s Asset Analysis project.

BCNPHA continues to be active in facilitating positive and effective partnerships in the non-profit housing sector. This report, prepared for BCNPHA by Kraus et al, describes eight partnership initiatives with housing providers and service agencies underway in a variety of North American cities. (Note: Appendices are 109 pages)

Attached to report – “Appendices for Models for Sustainable Partnerships Between Housing Providers and Community Agencies to Address Homelessness.”

This report by Marason Management Ltd, begins by acknowledging and honouring the non-profit housing sector as an integral part of creating stable communities. It successfully identifies significant areas in which the sector can be strengthened and offers an alternative response to not only the fiscal challenges, but also to the social and psychological challenges of feeling alienated and powerless in the current non-profit housing environment. It challenges us, as a sector, to pull together and form collaborative and cooperative survival strategies that will establish long-term management practices.