Housing

Housing Work and Establishment of Cowichan Housing Association

Between 2007-2009, Social Planning Cowichan created the Regional Affordable Housing Directorate (RAHD) to address a significant need in the community for affordable housing options, a need exemplified by increasing rates of poverty in our community, shifting demographic trends, and increasing costs of housing.

Between 2007-2009, RAHD’s achievements included a report titled Inadequate Shelter in the Cowichan, and a series of community consultations on affordable housing and homelessness prevention. This work culminated in an Affordable Housing Strategy for the Cowichan Region.

In the spring of 2011, RAHD/Social Planning Cowichan was invited by the Cowichan Valley Regional Hospital District (CVRHD) to consult with the community regarding a substantial amount of funds that could be available to start implementing the Housing Strategy. RAHD held four community sessions and highlighted a dozen different housing projects and homelessness prevention programs. One of the main recommendations from these consultations was to form a new association which could then move forward with implementing many of the project ideas identified during these session.

Cowichan Housing Association was incorporated In January of 2015 to evolve and grow the work of RAHD, and to broaden community efforts for affordable housing and homelessness prevention. The Board of Social Planning Cowichan is pleased to see this committee grow into a strong association capable of embracing the community-identified mandate around homelessness prevention and creating affordable housing.

In January 2015, Social Planning Cowichan facilitated the establishment of the Cowichan Housing Association, a new organization that will focus on continuing the work of the RAHD, and to broaden the efforts toward homelessness prevention and affordable housing in the Cowichan region. As part of this transition, Social Planning transferred responsibility for its affordable housing programs to the new organization. We continue to work as a community partner of affordable housing in their commitment to address the Cowichan Valley's Affordable Housing issues, and celebrate their successes!! Click here to visit Cowichan Housing Association's website, or click the links below to view our archived reports concerning housing in the Cowichan Region.