The Fraser Valley Social Economy with Reference to Affordable Housing Provision and Related Support Services

Abstract

This document explains the plans for a research project that will provide a portrait of the nature, dynamics and extent of the social economy in the Fraser Valley, specifically with regard to the provision of affordable housing and concomitant support services. The objectives of the research project are to:

• Provide a description of what is affordable housing and what contribution does it and the related social economy housing providers make economically, and socially to the community/region they serve. • Provide an inventory of affordable housing and related social economy housing provision organizations in the FVRD. • Describe the nature, dynamics and extent of the social economy in FVRD as it relates to affordable housing and related support service delivery including, for example, an analysis of number of people employed in this sector, annual budget, revenue, number of clients served, per capita cost of service delivery, asset base, leveraging of assets and opportunities for expansion, etc. • Analyze supply of affordable housing and related support services relative to demand based on, for example, inventory of existing social housing stock, waiting lists for affordable housing, consumer income levels in relation to cost of market-based housing, percentage of household income spent on housing, etc. • Identify and describe support services that are necessary to make affordable housing successful. • Identify and describe the policy and program changes necessary to enhance the provision of affordable housing e.g. (1) policies related to housing development, including municipal and regional plans, provincial and federal funding support, availability of financing; (2) policies related to affordable housing social economy enterprises (NGOs); (3) policies related to affordable housing support services.