CHRA’s Blueprint for Housing is an extensive policy document that will help inform CHRA’s advocacy efforts over the coming decade as we work towards our goal of ensuring that all who live in Canada have access to safe, affordable, appropriate housing.

It is essential that we protect the existing supply of community housing to ensure that it can continue to provide safe, affordable housing in the years to come. The current stock of affordable housing is aging and has not received the investment necessary to maintain it in a satisfactory condition. As a result, many units are in poor condition for tenants, are energy inefficient, or are no longer habitable. The third chapter of the Blueprint offers recommendations aimed at accelerating and supporting the repair and renewal of existing housing stock. Read on to learn more.

 

Simplifying the application process for funds related to housing renewal

One of the most common critiques of funding programs that target the renewal of existing community housing is their complex, labour intensive application processes. Completing complex application processes, with often unclear timelines, requirements, and/or benefits (often with differing requirements between different federal programs) is time consuming, inefficient, and serves as a deterrent for community housing providers looking to apply for available resources.

Though CMHC and federal departments need information to properly evaluate applications and reduce risk, the federal government must review existing and future application procedures to reduce unnecessary complexity

Recommendation: The review of all existing federal programs that provide support for the renewal and repair of community housing with the goal of reducing complexity, inefficiencies, and redundancies in the application process.

 

Aligning government programs and policies

Most provinces, territories and municipalities have programs that assist in the renewal of existing housing in place. Housing providers are often in the position of having to coordinate renewal and repair projects across multiple levels of government, sometimes involving different programs within the same order of government. This process is resource-intensive and inherently risky – if one partner or program is unsuccessful or evaluations are not completed in time, the entire development project can potentially fail.

In 2019, the City of Calgary and CMHC announced a joint application process for the National Housing Co-Investment Fund and a related municipal fund. This “one stop shop” approach reduced the risk and time associated with applying to different programs that had similar objectives. This pilot program can serve as a model for future programs.

Recommendation: The alignment of similar programs and policies between orders of government, led by CMHC, including application processes, eligibility, timelines, and funding consistency.

 

Building a greener housing sector

In its application criteria, the National Housing Co-Investment Fund currently requires applications for renovation projects to demonstrate that they will achieve a 25% reduction in energy use and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions relative to past performance. Meeting such energy efficiency goals will typically require increased incremental costs associated with technological enhancements.

Costs associated with renewing housing to meet energy efficiency and GHG reduction goals must be considered allowable costs in all current and future programs that support renew and repair of the existing community housing stock.

Recommendation: The allowance of incremental costs associated with improved energy efficiencies to be considered eligible expenses in all current and future programs that support the renewal and repair of existing community housing stock.

 

Creating accessible housing

Universal design refers to the concept that spaces should be designed to be accessible by all, regardless of age, disability, or other factors. It incorporates such principles as equitable use (all people should be able to access the space); simple and intuitive use; and appropriate size and space for use.

The incorporation of universal design into the community housing stock is an important long-term goal for both new supply of community housing and the conversion of the existing supply; this can only be achieved if federal renovation programs allow for the incremental costs associated with universal design.

Recommendation: Encouragement of the principle of universal design in all current and future federal programs aimed at repair and renewal of the existing stock and the eligibility of incremental costs associated with universal design in these programs, alongside increased training opportunities and resources to encourage the use of universal design principles.

 

Want to learn more about CHRA’s recommendations to preserve Canada’s supply of community housing? Check out CHRA’s Blueprint for Housing.