Stipulations in federal budget will hamstring social housing opportunities, Robertson says
Catherine Rolfsen
Sun
Mayor Gregor Robertson says he will push the federal government to relax some of the “restrictive” stipulations on social housing funding in this week’s budget so new units can be built for the homeless.
“It looks like we’ll need to be creative and more aggressive at trying to ensure these dollars create housing for those in greatest need in Vancouver,” Robertson told The Vancouver Sun Wednesday.
Robertson said he was disappointed that the billions pledged for low-income and social housing in Tuesday’s federal budget is earmarked for specific projects such as seniors, disabled, and on-reserve housing or renovations to existing stock.
“It’s confounding, because our homelessness crisis, and specifically the aboriginal homelessness issue, is well-known across the country,” he said. “I don’t know why they would limit our ability to apply these dollars where they’re most needed.”
Robertson said he will be meeting with provincial Housing Minister Rich Coleman this week, and will talk to the federal government, about ways to “build some flexibility” around the directives.
THE FEDERAL BUDGET PLEDGES:
– $1 billion for renovations and retrofits of existing social housing.
– $400 million to build housing for low-income seniors.
– $75 million to build housing for people with disabilities.
– $400 million to build new and improve existing housing on reserves.
– $200 million for social housing in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Robertson figures B.C.’s share will amount to about $192 million over two years.
However, since most of the promises call for cost-sharing with the provinces, he said B.C. could see twice that, if the province can pitch in the money.
Coleman was not available for comment Wednesday.
Robertson said the money allotted for renovations will likely help the provincial government improve the 17 single-room occupancy hotels it has purchased in Vancouver since 2007.
However, it’s an open question whether the federal dollars will do anything to help 12 city-owned sites slated for social and supportive housing.
He said it’s possible some of the money earmarked for seniors and disabled housing could fund development on these sites.
As of late last year, eight of these sites were scheduled to start construction in 2009.
Robertson said he doesn’t know whether the projects will be done without money from the federal government.
“The province has made those commitments so I’m trusting that they will follow through,” he said. “I don’t know to what degree they were banking on federal contributions.”
Mark Townsend, executive director of the Portland Hotel Society, a non-profit selected to run one of the 12 sites, said he figures the sites are “now in question” since money hasn’t come from the federal government.
He called Tuesday’s budget “depressing” and the huge dollar figures misleading.
“In the broad population of our cities, that aren’t just seniors and aren’t just those with disabilities, there’s a homelessness crisis and it’s not really being addressed,” he said.
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