Time and again, affordable housing – or, more accurately, the lack thereof – has made headlines in this paper.
We’ve been among the first to criticize when we feel our leaders (municipally, politically and federally) could have been doing more to help the local housing crisis. Which is why we also want to be among the first to give credit where credit is due.
The announcement of the new Derby Manor is a huge step forward in addressing some of the city’s major housing needs. (See the full story starting on the front page of today’s paper.)
The facility will offer 121 supportive housing units for low- and moderate-income seniors. That it’s supportive housing – providing meals, housekeeping services and recreational activities on site – makes it even more desirable for the growing number of seniors in our community. With seniors being among the most vulnerable populations, it’s good to have affordable quality housing to help ease the way for so many who might otherwise have slipped through the cracks.
It hasn’t been an easy road to get here.
The George Derby Care Society has been working on plans for the development, next to the existing George Derby Centre, since at least 2012. Plans were originally intended to include market-rate rental housing, but the society has since worked with the city and B.C. Housing to create an affordable non-profit housing plan instead.
The City of Burnaby recently approved the final allocation of a $1.2 million housing grant from the city’s community benefit bonus housing funds.
That’s money that has come from development in the city – particularly high-density development around the city’s town centres. Kudos to the city for ensuring that a portion of those funds are always kept for a housing fund, and for using that fund to assist projects like this one.
All that having been said, will this one new project combat the growing housing crisis in Burnaby?
Of course not.
Advocates and citizens at large need to ensure we keep the pressure on our leaders at all levels to keep housing issues on the front burner.
That there is a federal election campaign on right now gives us all ample opportunity to make sure our new members of Parliament are prepared to help us address these issues.
But, meanwhile, let’s stop and congratulate everyone involved in Derby Manor.
It’s good to have good news on the housing front for a change. New seniors’ home welcome news
