By Dominic Abassi

NDP housing initiatives a ‘great first step,’ says Nanaimo advocate

Feb 20, 2018 | 4:43 PM

NANAIMO — Investments in housing unveiled in the NDP’s first full budget are hailed as “all good news” and will have an impact on those struggling with affordability in Nanaimo.

Jim Spinelli, executive director of Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society, told NanaimoNewsNOW the “serious financial commitments” announced Tuesday are a great first step towards creating more affordability in the province. The NDP budget allocated more than $6 billion over the next 10 years to create 114,000 housing units for families, seniors and students.

Spinelli said Nanaimo has about 5,000 people on social assistance and the region needs 1,000 units of affordable seniors housing over the next decade.

“Will we get there with this budget? No, but we’re going to start moving towards it…The numbers are staggering in terms of the amount of housing that will be needed over the next decade that currently is not being built. This is year one, we need to see this kind of a policy for the next 20 years and then maybe we’ll start to catch up.”

Increases to rental assistance grants for low income seniors and families has Spinelli feeling “quite excited,” noting many seniors in their complexes rely on the provincial subsidy.

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“We know there’s over 400 families in the Nanaimo area that get help through the current rental assistance program, which is for low income working families. An increase to that program will be used well in Nanaimo.”

The government’s plan called for the creation of more than 14,000 rental units, which Spinelli hoped would be aimed at people on the very bottom of the economic scale, with rents tied to income.

“(I’m) really happy to see they’ve committed some funds around women and children fleeing abuse. That’s huge because a lot of institutions that serve women fleeing violence and domestic abuse need to rebuild,” Spinelli said.

He said while the government can’t solve the housing crisis in B.C. overnight, he felt the budget took steps on both ends to address ownership and social housing issues.

“What I will do, as well as the other non-profit housing providers in the community, is try to make sure Nanaimo gets its fair share and we get some new units built here.”

The government also said it’s working with municipalities to develop new tools, such as rental zoning, and creating a new office through BC Housing to partner with non-profits and developers to build affordable homes.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi