BRITISH COLUMBIA

Housing threatened by transfer

Affordable, quality housing for low- income seniors and handicapped residents could be headed for the extinction list in British Columbia, social housings advocate have warned.

Housing societies and tenants organiza- tions — many grouped together in the tecently-formed B.C. Housing Coalition —warn that the federal government’s transfer of social housing funding to the provinces threatens the existence of suitable, low-cost accommodation in B.C.

Vancouver city council agrees, and has requested the senior governments to “nego- tiate” with the city over the continued development of social housing.

Critics note that the Social Credit government’s track record for developing new low-cost housing is abysmal, and point with alarm to the Socreds’ proposed pro- gram for social housing.

_“What they have in mind is a system of giveaways for landlords and developers,” said David Lane of the B.C. Tenants Rights Coalition.

Lane, who appeared recently before

Vancouver council with other representa- tives of groups in the B.C. Housing Coali- tion, said the transfer of responsibliity to the Socreds signals “the beginning of privatiza- tion of social housing.”

The key elements of the federal transfer agreement, to come into effect Jan. 1, are summarized in a i city staff report to council. While the details are yet to be finalized, a “state- ment of principles” signed by federal and provincial rep- resentatives outlines the basic thrust of the Socreds’ hous- | ing program.

According to the report from the city’s director of social planning, the principles stipulate that:

@ The province will be responsible for family and “special needs” non-profit hous- ing;

a Federal and provincial contributions

DAVID LANE

(a 50-50 cost split is envisioned by 1988) will be ploughed into a “rent supplement pro- gram” applied to existing units and new construction;

@ The program will be open to private developers as well as the traditional non- profit housing societies;

@ The federal government will maintain control of co-operative housing, rural and urban Native non-profit rental programs, and the residential rehabilitation assistance plan (RRAP).

Vancouver gets approximately half the units allocated to B.C. through the federal government’s Central Mortgage and Hous- ing Corporation, the report noted, while estimating the city will need 1,050 units of housing — more than half the 2,000 bud- geted for the whole province in 1986.

The city report also noted the previous transfer of responsiblity for seniors’ and disabled persons’ housing to the province back in 1979.

Since then, said Lane, the allocation of housing units for seniors has fallen from an annual increase of 1,668 between 1974 and

By the end of this week we’ll be at the mid-way point in this year’s circulation drive. Unfortunately, however, our achievement does not match up to 50 per cent of our objective.

To date, 162 renewals have been picked up on a target of 600 and 99 new subscriptions have been achieved on a target of 500.

The outstanding efforts of the Sun- Shine Coast club have netted them nine new readers on a target of 10. Together, they took a look at their community and decided there were some specific individ- uals who should be reading the parci and sold them or bought them a sub- Scription. Maybe there are others who could do the same?

In addition, our Powell River and Fraser Valley clubs respectively get honorable mention for they have both picked up all renewals accredited to them for the period Aug. 1 to Dec. 31, 1985.

November is an extremely busy month — municipal elections, the cross- country peace convention and the B.C. Federation of Labor convention, to Mention only a few events. For all of them, it pays to keep the Tribune in mind.

€ can supply bundles, and we have Subscription books, if you think you might be able to distribute and/or sell a €w subs. Is there someone you know _ Who would take the paper?

Throughout 1985 we've been acknow- ledging the 50 years of the Tribune and the leading role it’s played for the work- Ing class in British Columbia. The achievement of 500 new subs (10 for each of the Tribune’s 50 years) will bring our

0 years to a close with a substantial achievement and launch us into our next years with renewed pride and confi- dence. We're counting on you to help. And while you’re at it, please take the Ume to fill out the accompanying questi- Onnaire if you haven’t already. This is the

t time it will be running and we want to evaluate the response in our year end Issue Dec. 18. But we need your thoughts.

Until Jan, 15, 1986. A special introduc- tory offer (3 months for $2) might make 4 nice stocking stuffer.

Remember the circulation drive runs

Eight weeks — andcounting

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1978, to 491 per annum in the subsequent years to 1983.

The housing coalition predicts the same result for other social housing, said Lane.

Social planning staff echoed that con- cern, noting, “The rent supplement pro- gram. . .does not ensure the development of a permanent stock of adequate and affor- dable housing, nor does it recognize social integration objectives or community devel- opment goals.”

“The city has been extremely successful in obtaining unit allocations from CMHC, less so in recent years in obtaining provin- cial support for seniors’ projects,” the staff report stated.

Staff observed: “It is this experience which has created so much uncertainty, fear and speculation on the part of community organizations about the province assuming responsibility for these programs.”

City staff also noted the provincial plan does not allocate “start-up” funds for non- profit housing societies, stating in the report, “Without start-up funds, staff believe that many non-profit groups will be unable to participate in the program.”

“Tt will be extremely hard for non-profit groups to compete with private developers — they'll be phased out,” Lane com- mented.

Under the provincial program, said —

Lane, ‘“‘Developers will be free to set their own profit rate. They can construct shoddy buildings not suitable to the people they’re intended for, charge inflated rents and take the money for it out of taxpayers’ pockets.” Lane cited a 1981 study by the Ontario Legislature’s standing committee on justice which found that rent supplements paid directly to landlords are not cost-effective, provide no long-term investment in social housing, and create “‘a dumping ground for undesirable units.” The city staff report also expressed con- cerns over the province’s eligibliity criteria. While noting the provincial plan follows city guidelines in allocating social housing to “most needy” people, the report observed that “the provincial definition does not take housing condition and suita- bility into account in assessing needs.” “We have absolutely no confidence that the provincial government will give any real priority to social housing,” Roy Gautier, president of the B.C. and Yukon Building Trades Council, told council at a recent session. Noting the threat to low-cost housing

construction, Gautier observed: “With 50 —

per cent unemployment in the construction industry, and very high unemployment in the forest industry, tens of thousands of workers are dependent on government

_income support, who could instead be

building the necessary housing and provid- ing the necessary materials.”

At its Nov. 5 meeting Vancouver council — at the initiative of the Commit-

tee of Progressive Electors aldermen, and —

with the opposition of a few council right- wingers — passed several motions dealing with social housing, including:

e A request that the city negotiate with the senior governments for administrative control over social housing in Vancouver, and that monies allocated for rent relief be paid directly to tenants;

@ A declaration that council opposes the

rental supplement program “on the grounds -

that such programs have a clear record of not ensuring the construction of new, affor- dable housing, not ensuring guarantees of quality standards, and not serving as por- tection from profiteering;”

e@ A council statement favoring the “upgrading” of existing shelter allowance programs, cost-shared by the senior governments and “periodically adjusted to reflect increases in costs. ..”

Affordable housing in B.C. will be the |

subject of a weekend conference called by

the 20-group member housing coalition. It’s

scheduled for Nov. 23-24.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 13, 1985 e 3

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