So what do you mean, “affordable housing”?
By Charles Reif

I have been told that there are people on Saturna who are still worried that we (Saturna Community Housing Society and others) are talking about building subsidized housing projects for off-island people on welfare. But that’s not what we are talking about at all.

We want to support the provision of appropriate, secure, affordable housing primarily to individuals, couples and young families who are living and working on Saturna Island, in order to help sustain our community.

By ‘Appropriate’ we mean safe, fully serviced, and adequately sized.
By ‘Secure’ we mean an occupancy not subject to eviction for the summer, or when the house sells.
By ‘Affordable’ we mean the definition used by the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp. (CMHC) and BC Housing. – to be “Affordable”, housing must cost no more than 30% of gross household income.

BC Housing defines “Core Housing Need” as: “those [households] who currently reside in housing that is either in need of major repair, does not have enough bedrooms for the size and makeup of the household, or costs 30 percent or more of their total income, and who are unable to rent an alternative housing unit that meets these standards without paying 30 percent or more of their income.”

CMHC has established “Core Need Income Thresholds” for various parts of Canada, based on varying rental costs. In 2006, for a 2 bedroom apartment in Courtney, you’d have needed to earn $27,000 to not be putting more than 30% into rent and utilities. In Victoria, it would have required an income of $34,500.

On Saturna, an existing 2 bdm rental could require a household income of as much as $30,000 -- $32,000 to be considered “affordable”. If such a rental can be found.

The Saturna Community Housing Society is looking for ways that appropriate, secure, and affordable housing can be provided for the members of our community who lack it, while assuring that it will stay affordable for subsequent occupants.

How can this be done? Through Policies, Lease Agreements or Housing Covenants on the Land Title that require Resident Occupancy and put Restrictions on Rent Increases or Resale Prices.

By ‘Resident Occupancy’ we mean that only those specified occupants can reside in the housing. Generally, no absentee landlords, no sublets.

So what do we mean by ‘Affordable Housing’? Housing for those in our community who are unable to buy or rent, in the current Saturna marketplace, appropriate and secure housing for no more than 30% of their gross household income.

The SATURNA COMMUNITY HOUSING SOCIETY – who, what and why?
April 29th 2008 Public Meeting Notes
So What do you mean by "affordable housing"?
What is a Land Trust?

Charles Reif, President
Anthony Green, Vice-President
Ellen McGinn, Secretary
Frank Godwin, Treasurer October 6, 2008
Annie Simmonds, Director at Large

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