CHRA Actions – Advocacy - Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

National News You Can Use! Bruce Pearce, CHRA Past-President, Sheldon Pollett, CHRA NL Director Newfoundland and Labrador Housing & Homelessness Network Provincial Conference

October24-25, 2012 Port Blandford, Newfoundland and Labrador

CHRA … since 1968, a voice for the full range of affordable housing and homelessness issues and solutions in Canada

CHRA’s Four Pillars: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Keeping homes affordable Ending homelessness Renewing our communities Supporting a sustainable housing profession

Our Characteristics: 1. Membership-based (250 and growing) 2. Diverse representation (municipalities, non-profit & supportive housing providers, provincial housing departments and many others; the tent is large!) 3. National (advocate to the federal government) 3

Newfoundland and Labrador members include … • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

AIDS Committee of NL/Tommy Sexton Centre Canadian Home Builders' Association - Newfoundland and Labrador Choices for Youth City of St. John's Iris Kirby House Inc Labrador Friendship Centre Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation Newfoundland & Labrador Housing & Homelessness Network Ron Fougere Associates Ltd Salvation Army – Newfoundland St. John's Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness St. John's Native Friendship Centre Association St. John's Status of Women Council Stella Burry Community Services

The State of Housing and Homelessness in Canada: 1.5 million households (13%) in core housing need (2006) = households cannot access locally housing that is affordable (< 30% of pre-tax income), and/or has adequate number of bedrooms and/or doesn’t need major repairs - 14.2 % of NL households in core housing need - 13.5 % of St. John’s households in core housing need

150,000-300,000 visible homeless Canadians (2005); many more hidden homeless – 65,000 homeless youth; particular vulnerabilities facing young women.

Status of federal housing & homelessness supports: • $1.7 billion (declining every year) for social housing – Almost 7200 fewer households in social housing supported in 2012 compared to 2011

• $253 million in Affordable Housing Framework (funding goes to provinces/territories)- until 2014 • $135 million for Homelessness Partnering Strategy (funding goes to communities)– until 2014 • Stimulus spending - $2 billion program for social housing builds and retrofit has ended • 1 year Eco-energy Retrofit Homes program has ended

CHRA Actions – Policy and Advocacy - Looking for a concise summary of housing issues and recommendations that would help resolve them? - CHRA responded to the federal government’s call for submissions in consideration of the 2013 budget with 4 recommendations aimed at ensuring: -

New affordable housing can be built; We can maintain what we have and make it more energy efficient; More private rental housing can be built; and Vulnerable populations can be supported through housing & supports. * You can find CHRA’s pre-budget submission at www.chra-achru.ca

CHRA Actions – Policy - At the 2012 CHRA Congress in St John’s, CHRA launched “Ending Youth Homelessness: A CHRA Policy Statement” which outlines recommendations to help stem the tide of youth homelessness. - Over the summer, CHRA has asked organizations and individuals to endorse the policy – and more than 1000 have! These endorsements will be forwarded to federal decisionmakers in October 2012 as part of a mini campaign. - New CHRA policy work forthcoming in 2013 on private rental housing.

CHRA Actions – Network Building The 44th CHRA National Housing & Homelessness Congress was held in St John’s, May 1-4, 2012 – Highest attendance in recent records – Brought national profile to great work in housing and homelessness in Newfoundland and Labrador – CHRA Congress 2013 will be a hard act to follow!

CHRA Actions – Network Building - CHRA hosted the first ever meeting of Community Advisory Boards/Entities (CABs/CEs) in St John’s from May 4-5, 2012. CABs shared promising practices, lessons learned and instigated the development of a unique network of practitioners. – St John’s CAB contributed to the funding of the research, which led to the network. – City of St. Johns hosted the event, and provided critical funding. – NLHHN ensured rural homelessness issues reflected at the event.

- The 2nd annual meeting of CABs/CEs will take place May 3-4, 2013 in Ottawa.

CHRA Actions – Advocacy

- CHRA will host a ‘Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day’ on April 30, 2013 on Parliament Hill. - This will happen the day prior to CHRA Congress and will provide CHRA members an opportunity to meet with Members of Parliament and Senators to discuss housing and homelessness issues and solutions.

CHRA Actions – Advocacy - Bill C-400 is an NDP-sponsored bill which is before Parliament. It calls for a national housing strategy. CHRA has supported it from the start, and has worked to facilitate broader support for the bill by highlighting it at Congress and among CHRA’s membership. - Second reading of bill is slated for the fall of 2012 - Contact your MP and tell her/him you support the bill!

CHRA Actions – Technical Assistance - CHRA offers 6-7 webinars every year, which present promising practices from across the county. - FREE for CHRA members!

- Next webinar is “Housing as Settlement: Issues and Solutions in Housing for Newcomers”, Nov 7.

Remaining 2012-13 webinars to be announced soon!

CHRA Actions – Technical Assistance - A Simplified Assessment Tool (SAT) has been developed by CHRA and partners - The SAT is a user-friendly tool to help social housing providers examine the likely impact of expiring funding (the declining $1.7B)

- You can find this at www.chra-achru.ca

CHRA Actions – Congress 2013

It all comes together from April 30 – May 3, 2013 in Ottawa. The 45th Annual National Housing and Homelessness Congress will take place, with top-notch speakers, housing tours, workshop and networking events. Registration opens November 2012 www.chracongress.ca

Thank You! You can find all of the items referenced in this presentation at www.chra-achru.ca Or by calling 613.594.3007 16